Police Car Swallowtail vs Lord Howe Island Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Police Car Swallowtail Lord Howe Island Beetle
Scientific Name Graphium policenes Anoplognathus macleayi
Order Lepidoptera Coleoptera
Family Papilionidae Scarabaeidae
Size 60-75 mm wingspan 2-3 cm
Habitat Forests Forests
Diet Nectar Feeders Herbivores
Regions West and Central Africa (Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, DRC, Ivory Coast) Australia
Conservation Least Concern Critically Endangered

Police Car Swallowtail

A striking swallowtail butterfly with black wings covered in small pale green spots resembling a police car's livery. It has short hindwing tails and a rapid, darting flight. Common in forest areas throughout its range.

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Did You Know?

Its common name comes from the black-and-white spotted pattern that was thought to resemble early police vehicles.

Lord Howe Island Beetle

A scarab beetle endemic to Lord Howe Island with metallic green coloring. It has suffered severe decline due to introduced rats.

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Did You Know?

This beetle was once so abundant it was considered a pest but is now extremely rare after rat introduction in 1918.