Large White vs South American Eucalyptus Sawfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Large White South American Eucalyptus Sawfly
Scientific Name Pieris brassicae Lophyrotoma zonalis
Order Lepidoptera Hymenoptera
Family Pieridae Pergidae
Size 58-63 mm wingspan 10-14 mm
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Nectar Feeders Herbivores
Regions Europe, Asia, Africa Australia, invasive in South America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Large White

A common white butterfly with black wingtips and one or two black spots on the forewing. Its green-yellow caterpillars are a major agricultural pest of brassica crops.

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Did You Know?

The caterpillars sequester mustard oils from their food plants and can spray these noxious chemicals at attacking predators.

South American Eucalyptus Sawfly

A dark-bodied pergid sawfly that has become a significant pest of eucalyptus plantations in South America. Larvae are gregarious and can cause severe defoliation.

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Did You Know?

This Australian native became a major pest after eucalyptus was widely planted in South America, far from its natural enemies.