Large Emerald vs Congo Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Large Emerald Congo Moth
Scientific Name Geometra papilionaria Dactyloceras lucina
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Geometridae Saturniidae
Size Wingspan 50-65mm 90-130 mm wingspan
Habitat Heathland Forests
Diet Herbivores Omnivores
Regions Europe, Asia Central Africa (Congo Basin)
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Large Emerald

A beautiful bright green moth with delicate white wavy lines across both wings. Its green color fades to whitish after death.

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Did You Know?

Its green pigment is bile-derived and extremely fugitive fading from emerald to pale white in museum specimens within years.

Congo Moth

A large brown emperor moth with distinctive serrated wing margins and large eyespots. Males have broadly feathered antennae for detecting female pheromones.

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Did You Know?

Males can detect a single molecule of female pheromone from over a kilometer away using their elaborate antennae.