Tawny Emperor vs Chinese Windmill Butterfly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Tawny Emperor | Chinese Windmill Butterfly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Asterocampa clyton | Byasa alcinous |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Nymphalidae | Papilionidae |
| Size | 40-65 mm wingspan | Wingspan 75-95 mm |
| Habitat | Rivers & Streams | Forests |
| Diet | Dung Feeders | Nectar Feeders |
| Regions | Eastern and Central North America | China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Tawny Emperor
A warm tawny-brown butterfly with dark bars and a row of small eyespots on the hindwing. Unlike most butterflies, it rarely visits flowers, preferring tree sap and rotting fruit.
Did You Know?
It is strongly attracted to human perspiration and will readily land on sweaty hikers.
Chinese Windmill Butterfly
A dark swallowtail with red-spotted hindwings that rotates its wings in a slow windmill-like pattern during flight. It is widespread in East Asian lowland forests.
Did You Know?
Its distinctive slow, spinning flight style gives it the common name windmill butterfly.