Imbrasia Silk Moth vs Owl Butterfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Imbrasia Silk Moth Owl Butterfly
Scientific Name Imbrasia epimethea Caligo memnon
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Saturniidae Nymphalidae
Size 90-130 mm Wingspan 120-160mm
Habitat Grasslands Farmland
Diet Sap Feeders Herbivores
Regions West and Central Africa South America, North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Imbrasia Silk Moth

A large West African saturniid with reddish-brown wings bearing dark eyespots. Its caterpillars are among the most widely consumed edible insects in the Congo Basin.

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Did You Know?

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, caterpillars of Imbrasia epimethea are a staple food and are sold in markets throughout the country.

Owl Butterfly

A very large tropical butterfly with enormous owl-eye patterns on the underside of its hindwings. The uppersides are deep blue-purple.

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Did You Know?

The large eyespots on its underwings closely resemble the face of a screech owl which startles would-be predators.