Gypsy Moth vs Brown Argus

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Gypsy Moth Brown Argus
Scientific Name Lymantria dispar Aricia agestis
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Erebidae Lycaenidae
Size 37-62 mm wingspan 25-31 mm wingspan
Habitat Woodlands Beaches & Coastal
Diet Herbivores Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe, Asia, North America Europe, western Asia, North Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Gypsy Moth

A sexually dimorphic moth where males are brown and can fly, while females are white with dark markings and are flightless. Caterpillars are voracious defoliators.

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Did You Know?

A single caterpillar can eat up to one square meter of leaves during its development, and outbreaks can strip entire forests bare.

Brown Argus

A small chocolate-brown butterfly with a row of bright orange crescent-shaped spots around the wing margins. Despite its brown color, it belongs to the blue butterfly subfamily.

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Did You Know?

It has expanded its range northward in Britain in recent decades, likely in response to climate warming.