Mocker Swallowtail vs Western Bumble Bee
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Mocker Swallowtail | Western Bumble Bee |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Papilio dardanus | Bombus occidentalis |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Papilionidae | Apidae |
| Size | 80-105 mm wingspan | 10-22 mm |
| Habitat | Underground | Mountains |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Nectar Feeders |
| Regions | Sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar | Western North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
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.
Did You Know?
Females can occur in over a dozen different color forms, each mimicking a different toxic butterfly species.
Western Bumble Bee
A once-common bumble bee of western North America that has experienced dramatic population declines since the late 1990s. They nest underground in abandoned rodent burrows.
Did You Know?
Their catastrophic decline is linked to a pathogen accidentally spread through commercial bumble bee rearing facilities.