Mocker Swallowtail vs Sweat Bee of the Desert

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Mocker Swallowtail Sweat Bee of the Desert
Scientific Name Papilio dardanus Lasioglossum titusi
Order Lepidoptera Hymenoptera
Family Papilionidae Halictidae
Size 80-105 mm wingspan 5-8 mm
Habitat Underground Deserts & Drylands
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Mocker Swallowtail

A remarkable swallowtail where females mimic several different toxic butterfly species while males look completely different. Males are yellow and black with tails.

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Did You Know?

Females can occur in over a dozen different color forms, each mimicking a different toxic butterfly species.

Sweat Bee of the Desert

A small metallic green bee found in arid regions of western North America. It nests communally in sandy desert soil.

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Did You Know?

It is attracted to human sweat for the salt it contains, which is scarce in desert environments.