Question Mark Butterfly vs Forest Caterpillar Hunter

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Question Mark Butterfly Forest Caterpillar Hunter
Scientific Name Polygonia interrogationis Calosoma sycophanta
Order Lepidoptera Coleoptera
Family Nymphalidae Carabidae
Size 45-76 mm wingspan 25-35 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Sap Feeders Predators
Regions North America Europe, North Africa; introduced to North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Question Mark Butterfly

Orange butterfly with dark spots and irregular wing margins. A silvery question-mark shape on the underside of the hindwing gives it its name.

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Did You Know?

It rarely visits flowers, preferring to feed on fermenting fruit, sap, and animal dung.

Forest Caterpillar Hunter

A large, brilliant metallic green and gold ground beetle that climbs trees to hunt caterpillars. It was introduced to North America for gypsy moth biocontrol.

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Did You Know?

A single beetle can consume over 300 caterpillars during its larval and adult life.