Holly Blue vs Figure of Eight Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Holly Blue	Figure of Eight Moth
Scientific Name	Celastrina argiolus	Diloba caeruleocephala
Order	Lepidoptera	Lepidoptera
Family	Lycaenidae	Noctuidae
Size	26-34 mm wingspan	35-40 mm wingspan
Habitat	Underground	Orchards
Diet	Nectar Feeders	Omnivores
Regions	Europe, North Africa, Asia, North America	Europe, western Asia
Conservation	Least Concern	Least Concern

Holly Blue

Pale silvery-blue butterfly with small black dots on the underside. Alternates between holly and ivy as host plants between spring and summer broods.

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Did You Know?

Population numbers cycle dramatically every few years due to a parasitic wasp that tracks its abundance.

Figure of Eight Moth

Named for the figure-of-eight marking on its grey forewing, this autumn-flying moth is often found at ivy blossom. Its caterpillar is blue-grey with yellow stripes.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the few moths that flies and breeds in late autumn when most species have already ended their season.