Purple Emperor vs Dusky Birch Sawfly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Purple Emperor | Dusky Birch Sawfly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apatura iris | Croesus latitarsus |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Nymphalidae | Tenthredinidae |
| Size | 62-80 mm wingspan | 8-10 mm |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Woodlands |
| Diet | Carrion Feeders | Herbivores |
| Regions | Europe, temperate Asia, Japan | North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Purple Emperor
A majestic woodland butterfly whose males display an intense iridescent purple sheen visible only at certain angles. It never visits flowers, preferring carrion, dung, and tree sap.
Did You Know?
Enthusiasts bait it down from the canopy using rotting shrimp, dirty nappies, or Stilton cheese.
Dusky Birch Sawfly
A medium-sized sawfly with an orange abdomen and black head and thorax. Larvae are yellowish-green with dark spots and feed in rows along the edges of birch leaves.
Did You Know?
The larvae feed in a distinctive edge-to-edge pattern, consuming the leaf blade while leaving the midrib intact like a fishbone.