Mormon Metalmark vs Mocker Swallowtail

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Mormon Metalmark Mocker Swallowtail
Scientific Name Apodemia mormo Papilio dardanus
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Riodinidae Papilionidae
Size 22-30 mm wingspan 80-105 mm wingspan
Habitat Heathland Underground
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Western North America from Canada to Mexico Sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar
Conservation Least Concern (species); some subspecies criticall Least Concern

Mormon Metalmark

A small butterfly with dark brown wings covered in white spots arranged in irregular bands. Several of its subspecies are critically endangered.

💡

Did You Know?

The Lange's metalmark subspecies, restricted to a single sand dune in California, is one of the rarest butterflies in the world.

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.