Japanese Moon Moth vs Colorado Leaf Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Japanese Moon Moth Colorado Leaf Beetle
Scientific Name Actias artemis Leptinotarsa juncta
Order Lepidoptera Coleoptera
Family Saturniidae Chrysomelidae
Size Wingspan 80-120 mm 8-11 mm
Habitat Forests Deserts & Drylands
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Japan Southeastern United States
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Japanese Moon Moth

A delicate pale green moon moth with elegant hindwing tails found only in Japan. It flies during the brief early summer months in Japanese mountain forests.

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Did You Know?

The Japanese call it "oo-mizuao" meaning "great water-blue," despite its green coloration.

Colorado Leaf Beetle

A close relative of the Colorado potato beetle with similar striped elytra but alternating dark and light brown stripes rather than black and yellow. It feeds on native horsenettle.

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Did You Know?

Unlike its notorious relative the Colorado potato beetle, this species has not adapted to crop plants and remains relatively harmless to agriculture.