Swallow-tailed Moth vs Vegetable Caterpillar
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Swallow-tailed Moth | Vegetable Caterpillar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ourapteryx sambucaria | Ophiocordyceps robertsii |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Geometridae | Hepialidae |
| Size | 50-62 mm wingspan | 50-100 mm (caterpillar plus fungal stalk) |
| Habitat | Underground | Underground |
| Diet | Omnivores | Fungus Feeders |
| Regions | Europe, temperate Asia | Oceania (New Zealand) |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Swallow-tailed Moth
A large, pale lemon-yellow moth with pointed tail-like projections on its hindwings. Its graceful shape and colour make it one of the most elegant geometrid moths.
Did You Know?
Despite its butterfly-like tail extensions, it is a true moth and is strongly attracted to light.
Vegetable Caterpillar
The host of this relationship is the caterpillar of the native moth Aenetus virescens, parasitized by the endemic Cordyceps fungus. The fungus invades and mummifies the caterpillar underground, then sends a fruiting body to the surface. It was known to Maori as awhato.
Did You Know?
Maori prized the vegetable caterpillar as a pigment source, grinding the fungus-caterpillar combination to produce a blue-black tattoo ink.