Harvester Butterfly vs Rainbow Leaf Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Harvester Butterfly Rainbow Leaf Beetle
Scientific Name Feniseca tarquinius Chrysolina fastuosa
Order Lepidoptera Coleoptera
Family Lycaenidae Chrysomelidae
Size 28-33 mm wingspan 5-7 mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Rivers & Streams
Diet Sap Feeders Herbivores
Regions Eastern North America Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Harvester Butterfly

The only carnivorous butterfly in North America, whose caterpillar feeds on woolly aphids rather than plants. Adults are small and orange-brown with dark spotting.

💡

Did You Know?

The caterpillar camouflages itself with the waxy white filaments of its aphid prey while feeding.

Rainbow Leaf Beetle

A metallic multicolored beetle with iridescent green, blue, and purple stripes.

💡

Did You Know?

Its rainbow coloration is produced by thin-film interference in its cuticle.