Rambur's Forktail vs Small Ranunculus

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Rambur's Forktail Small Ranunculus
Scientific Name Ischnura ramburii Hecatera dysodea
Order Odonata Lepidoptera
Family Coenagrionidae Noctuidae
Size 26-36 mm 30-36 mm wingspan
Habitat Ponds & Lakes Farmland
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions North America, South America Europe, western Asia, North Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Rambur's Forktail

A widespread New World damselfly where males are green and black with a blue tail tip. Females come in orange, olive, and male-mimic color forms.

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Did You Know?

It tolerates brackish and even slightly saline water, unlike most freshwater damselflies.

Small Ranunculus

A subtly attractive moth with pale grey-green wings marked with intricate darker patterns. It was once rare in Britain but has expanded its range northward in recent decades.

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Did You Know?

It is one of few moths whose caterpillars feed on cultivated lettuce, making it an occasional garden pest.