Malagasy Processionary Moth vs Anna's Eighty-Eight

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Malagasy Processionary Moth Anna's Eighty-Eight
Scientific Name Anaphe madagascariensis Diaethria anna
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Notodontidae Nymphalidae
Size 40-55 mm wingspan 30-40 mm wingspan
Habitat Forests Rivers & Streams
Diet Herbivores Sap Feeders
Regions Madagascar Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Malagasy Processionary Moth

A pale silky white moth whose caterpillars march in long head-to-tail processions through the forest. The larvae are covered in irritating urticating hairs.

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Did You Know?

The caterpillars spin communal silk nests and march in lines of dozens of individuals, each following silk trails laid by the leader.

Anna's Eighty-Eight

A small neotropical butterfly with bright blue-green upper wings and a striking black-and-white numeral pattern underneath. It is closely related to Cramer's eighty-eight.

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Did You Know?

Despite being named for the number pattern, many individuals actually display patterns closer to '89' than '88.'