Tailed Jay vs European Melittid

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Tailed Jay European Melittid
Scientific Name Graphium agamemnon Melitta leporina
Order Lepidoptera Hymenoptera
Family Papilionidae Melittidae
Size Wingspan 80-100mm 11-14 mm
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Herbivores Pollen Feeders
Regions Asia, Oceania Europe, Western Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Tailed Jay

A fast-flying black swallowtail butterfly covered with spots of green or blue-green. It rarely settles and is constantly in motion.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the few butterflies that flaps its wings even while feeding on flowers never fully stopping.

European Melittid

A medium-sized oligolectic bee that specializes on legume flowers, particularly alfalfa and clovers. It nests in the ground in sparsely vegetated areas.

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Did You Know?

It is so efficient at collecting clover pollen that a single bee can visit over 1,000 florets in a single foraging trip.