Japanese Silk Moth vs South American Wattle Sawfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Japanese Silk Moth South American Wattle Sawfly
Scientific Name Antheraea yamamai Arge pullata
Order Lepidoptera Hymenoptera
Family Saturniidae Argidae
Size Wingspan 110-150 mm 7-10 mm
Habitat Indoors Farmland
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Japan, Korea, China Southern Africa
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Japanese Silk Moth

A large wild silk moth native to Japan with striking yellow-brown wings bearing prominent eyespots. Its silk was historically used to produce high-quality tensan fabric.

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Did You Know?

Its silk, called tensan, is naturally green-tinged and was reserved for Japanese imperial garments.

South American Wattle Sawfly

A shiny black argid sawfly that feeds on wattle (Acacia) trees. Larvae are green with dark dorsal markings and can cause significant defoliation.

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Did You Know?

This species is one of the relatively few argid sawflies found in Africa, where the family is less diverse than in other continents.