Silver Birch Web-Spinning Sawfly vs Peppered Moth Dark Form

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Silver Birch Web-Spinning Sawfly	Peppered Moth Dark Form
Scientific Name	Pamphilius sylvaticus	Biston betularia f. carbonaria
Order	Hymenoptera	Lepidoptera
Family	Pamphiliidae	Geometridae
Size	9-12 mm	42-52 mm wingspan
Habitat	Woodlands	Underground
Diet	Herbivores	Herbivores
Regions	Europe	Europe
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.

Peppered Moth Dark Form

The dark melanic form of the famous peppered moth, a textbook example of natural selection. Became dominant during industrial pollution when soot darkened tree bark.

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Did You Know?

The rise and fall of the dark form tracks industrial pollution so closely it remains the best example of evolution in action.