Small Elephant Hawk Moth vs Alpine Tiger Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Small Elephant Hawk Moth Alpine Tiger Beetle
Scientific Name Deilephila porcellus Cicindela gallica
Order Lepidoptera Coleoptera
Family Sphingidae Cicindelidae
Size 40-52 mm 12-15 mm
Habitat Grasslands Grasslands
Diet Nectar Feeders Predators
Regions Europe, Central Asia Alps, Pyrenees, Apennines
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Small Elephant Hawk Moth

A smaller relative of the elephant hawk moth, with delicate pink and yellow-olive coloring. It is found in grasslands and meadows where bedstraw grows abundantly.

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Did You Know?

Despite being called 'small,' this moth is still impressively sized compared to most Lepidoptera, with a wingspan approaching that of many butterfly species.

Alpine Tiger Beetle

A fast-running predatory beetle of dry alpine grasslands and rocky paths. Its greenish-bronze coloration provides camouflage on sun-baked ground.

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Did You Know?

It runs so fast while hunting that it temporarily goes blind and must stop to re-locate its prey.