Saddleback Caterpillar Moth vs Giant Lacewing
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Saddleback Caterpillar Moth | Giant Lacewing |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Acharia stimulea | Polystoechotes punctata |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Neuroptera |
| Family | Limacodidae | Ithonidae |
| Size | 26-35 mm wingspan | 40-75 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Orchards | Rivers & Streams |
| Diet | Omnivores | Omnivores |
| Regions | Eastern North America | North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Endangered |
Saddleback Caterpillar Moth
A dark brown moth best known for its extraordinary caterpillar, which is bright green with a brown saddle-shaped marking and venomous spines. The sting causes intense burning pain.
Did You Know?
Its sting is among the most painful of any North American caterpillar and can cause nausea in sensitive individuals.
Giant Lacewing
Once widespread across North America, it vanished from the eastern US by the 1950s. A single specimen was rediscovered in Walmart parking lot in Arkansas in 2012 after 50 years.
Did You Know?
This giant lacewing was thought extinct in eastern North America for 50 years — until a single specimen was collected at a Walmart parking lot in Fayetteville, Arkansas in 2012.