Silver-washed Fritillary vs Lacteus Termite

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Silver-washed Fritillary Lacteus Termite
Scientific Name Argynnis paphia Coptotermes lacteus
Order Lepidoptera Blattodea
Family Nymphalidae Rhinotermitidae
Size 54-70 mm wingspan 4-6 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Nectar Feeders Wood Feeders
Regions Europe, Asia Eastern Australia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Silver-washed Fritillary

A large, fast-flying butterfly with bright orange upperwings marked with black spots and streaks. The hindwing underside has distinctive silvery-green washed streaks.

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Did You Know?

Males perform a spectacular aerial courtship display, flying loops underneath the female while releasing pheromones from specialized wing scales.

Lacteus Termite

An Australian mound-building termite that constructs distinctive dark, hard-walled mounds up to 2 meters tall. The mounds are a common sight in pastures and open woodland across eastern Australia. Workers are pale and soft-bodied with gut protozoa for cellulose digestion.

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Did You Know?

Their mounds are so durable that they persist for decades after the colony dies and are sometimes used as road-building material in rural Australia.