Pepe Tuna (Bag Moth) vs Freyer's Purple Emperor
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Pepe Tuna (Bag Moth) | Freyer's Purple Emperor |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Liothula omnivora | Apatura metis |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Psychidae | Nymphalidae |
| Size | 15-25 mm (male wingspan); cases up to 100 mm | 60-70 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Underground | Rivers & Streams |
| Diet | Herbivores | Dung Feeders |
| Regions | Oceania (New Zealand) | Southeastern Europe, Central Asia, China |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern (globally); rare and declining in Eu |
Pepe Tuna (Bag Moth)
A native New Zealand bag moth whose caterpillars construct elaborate portable cases covered with twigs and leaf fragments. Female adults are wingless grubs that never leave their bags. Males are small dark moths that fly to find stationary females.
Did You Know?
The female bag moth never develops wings or legs and spends her entire life inside the bag, even laying her eggs within it before dying.
Freyer's Purple Emperor
A large, powerful butterfly closely related to the purple emperor but restricted to river valleys. Males display a brilliant purple-blue iridescence on the upper wing surface.
Did You Know?
Males patrol narrow sections of riverbank at high speed, chasing away all other large insects.