Southern Dogface vs Large Emerald

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Southern Dogface Large Emerald
Scientific Name Zerene cesonia Geometra papilionaria
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Pieridae Geometridae
Size 46-64 mm wingspan Wingspan 50-65mm
Habitat Heathland Heathland
Diet Nectar Feeders Herbivores
Regions North America, Central America, South America Europe, Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Southern Dogface

Yellow butterfly with a pointed forewing showing a poodle-dog-face pattern in black. Males have a warm orange flush on the upper wing surface.

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Did You Know?

The forewing markings form a recognizable dog face profile when the wings are spread open.

Large Emerald

A beautiful bright green moth with delicate white wavy lines across both wings. Its green color fades to whitish after death.

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Did You Know?

Its green pigment is bile-derived and extremely fugitive fading from emerald to pale white in museum specimens within years.