Silver Birch Web-Spinning Sawfly vs Orchard Swallowtail

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Silver Birch Web-Spinning Sawfly Orchard Swallowtail
Scientific Name Pamphilius sylvaticus Papilio aegeus
Order Hymenoptera Lepidoptera
Family Pamphiliidae Papilionidae
Size 9-12 mm 9-12 cm wingspan
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Herbivores Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe Australia, Papua New Guinea
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Silver Birch Web-Spinning Sawfly

A flat-bodied sawfly with long filiform antennae and a broad head. Larvae roll or fold birch leaves with silk and feed within the shelters.

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Did You Know?

The flattened body shape of pamphiliid sawflies is an adaptation that allows adults to squeeze into tight spaces in leaf litter and bark crevices.

Orchard Swallowtail

A large black swallowtail where females display white and red markings mimicking toxic butterflies. Males are mostly black with a row of pale spots.

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Did You Know?

Its caterpillars resemble bird droppings when young, providing excellent camouflage from predators.