Puss Moth vs Mocker Swallowtail

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Puss Moth Mocker Swallowtail
Scientific Name Cerura vinula Papilio dardanus
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Notodontidae Papilionidae
Size 58-80 mm wingspan 80-105 mm wingspan
Habitat Rivers & Streams Underground
Diet Herbivores Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe, Asia Sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Puss Moth

A furry white moth whose caterpillar has whip-like tail filaments and sprays formic acid.

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Did You Know?

The caterpillar can shoot a jet of formic acid from a gland behind its head.

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.

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Did You Know?

Females can occur in over a dozen different color forms, each mimicking a different toxic butterfly species.