Swallowtail Butterfly vs Emerald Cuckoo Wasp

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Swallowtail Butterfly Emerald Cuckoo Wasp
Scientific Name Papilio machaon Stilbum cyanurum
Order Lepidoptera Hymenoptera
Family Papilionidae Chrysididae
Size 65-86 mm wingspan 10-18 mm
Habitat Underground Underground
Diet Predators Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe, Asia, North America Africa, Southern Asia, Australia, Southern Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Swallowtail Butterfly

Elegant butterfly with yellow wings marked with black veins and blue-red eyespots on hindwings. The tail extensions on hindwings divert predator attacks from the body.

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Did You Know?

Swallowtail caterpillars have a hidden orange forked organ called an osmeterium that they pop out from behind their head when threatened, releasing a foul smell.

Emerald Cuckoo Wasp

One of the largest and most spectacular cuckoo wasps with a vivid metallic green and blue body. It parasitizes mud dauber wasp nests across the Old World tropics.

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Did You Know?

It is the largest cuckoo wasp in the world and its metallic colors can shift from green to blue depending on the viewing angle.