Monarch Butterfly vs Snowberry Clearwing

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Monarch Butterfly Snowberry Clearwing
Scientific Name Danaus plexippus Hemaris diffinis
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Nymphalidae Sphingidae
Size 89-102 mm wingspan 32-50 mm wingspan
Habitat Farmland Underground
Diet Predators Nectar Feeders
Regions North America, Central America North America
Conservation Endangered Least Concern

Monarch Butterfly

Famous for its incredible multi-generational migration spanning up to 4,800 km between Canada and Mexico. Orange wings with black veins signal toxicity to predators.

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Did You Know?

Monarch butterflies migrate up to 4,800 km from Canada to Mexico — and the generation that returns north has never been there before, yet navigates perfectly.

Snowberry Clearwing

A bumblebee mimic with largely transparent wings bordered in dark brown, a fuzzy olive thorax, and black and yellow banding on the abdomen. It feeds while hovering at flowers.

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Did You Know?

This moth is born with scales on its wings but they fall off during the first flight, leaving the characteristic clear windows.