Muga Silk Moth vs Ross's Alpine

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Muga Silk Moth Ross's Alpine
Scientific Name Antheraea assamensis Erebia rossii
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Saturniidae Nymphalidae
Size Wingspan 120-150 mm 34-42 mm wingspan
Habitat Woodlands Tundra & Arctic
Diet Herbivores Omnivores
Regions India (Assam) Arctic Alaska, northern Canada, Yukon Territory
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Muga Silk Moth

A semi-domesticated wild silk moth producing a naturally golden silk unique to Assam, India. Its shimmering golden thread is one of the most expensive natural fibers.

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Did You Know?

Muga silk has a natural golden luster that actually improves with each washing over time.

Ross's Alpine

A dark brown butterfly with small reddish-orange eye spots on the forewings. Its cryptic coloration allows it to blend with dark tundra soils and rocks. It has a slow, bobbing flight pattern close to the ground.

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Did You Know?

Named after the Arctic explorer Sir James Clark Ross, this butterfly takes two full years to develop from egg to adult.