Green-banded Swallowtail vs Tan Spotted Sedge

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Green-banded Swallowtail Tan Spotted Sedge
Scientific Name Papilio nireus Hydropsyche instabilis
Order Lepidoptera Trichoptera
Family Papilionidae Hydropsychidae
Size 80-100 mm wingspan 11-15 mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Rivers & Streams
Diet Nectar Feeders Omnivores
Regions Sub-Saharan Africa Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Green-banded Swallowtail

A striking black swallowtail with brilliant metallic blue-green bands across both wings. It is a fast flier often seen mud-puddling along rivers.

💡

Did You Know?

Males gather in large numbers at muddy riverbanks to drink mineral-rich water, a behavior called mud-puddling.

Tan Spotted Sedge

A medium-sized caddisfly whose larvae construct net retreats in fast-flowing upland streams. Adults are tan with spotted wings.

💡

Did You Know?

Larvae aggressively defend their net territories from neighboring caddisflies.