Tenerife Speckled Wood Butterfly vs Postman Butterfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Tenerife Speckled Wood Butterfly Postman Butterfly
Scientific Name Pararge xiphioides Heliconius melpomene
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Nymphalidae Nymphalidae
Size 40-50 mm wingspan Wingspan 55-80mm
Habitat Forests Forests
Diet Omnivores Herbivores
Regions Canary Islands South America, North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Tenerife Speckled Wood Butterfly

A brown butterfly with orange eyespot patches endemic to the western Canary Islands. It flies in shaded laurel forest clearings.

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Did You Know?

Males defend sun patches on the forest floor, chasing away any intruding butterflies.

Postman Butterfly

A slender long-winged butterfly with black wings and a bold red band across the forewings. It is a classic example of Mullerian mimicry.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the few butterflies that can digest pollen as well as nectar giving it amino acids that extend its lifespan to several months.