Leopard Moth vs Ross's Web Spinner

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Leopard Moth Ross's Web Spinner
Scientific Name Zeuzera pyrina Chelicerca rubra
Order Lepidoptera Embioptera
Family Cossidae Chelicercidae
Size 45-70 mm wingspan 8.0-12.0 mm
Habitat Gardens Farmland
Diet Wood Feeders Wood Feeders
Regions Europe, Asia, North Africa Africa
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Leopard Moth

A striking white moth covered in black spots like a snow leopard's coat. Its wood-boring larvae can cause serious damage to fruit and ornamental trees.

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Did You Know?

Larvae can bore tunnels up to 50 cm long inside tree branches, sometimes causing limbs to snap.

Ross's Web Spinner

A reddish-brown web spinner found in tropical Africa that builds silk tunnels on tree bark. It is one of the more brightly colored embiopterans.

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Did You Know?

The reddish coloration of this web spinner is unusual in the order, as most species are drab brown or black.