Transparent Burnet Moth vs Mother Shipton

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Transparent Burnet Moth Mother Shipton
Scientific Name Methona confusa Euclidia mi
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Nymphalidae Erebidae
Size 55-65 mm wingspan 30-35 mm wingspan
Habitat Forests Grasslands
Diet Predators Omnivores
Regions South America (Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia) Europe, western Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Transparent Burnet Moth

A delicate butterfly with almost entirely transparent wings bordered by dark brown and orange margins. It is part of a mimicry complex involving several toxic species. Its slow, floating flight and transparency make it difficult for predators to track.

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Did You Know?

Its transparent wings make it extremely difficult for birds to pursue in flight because predators lose visual track of the nearly invisible insect against complex backgrounds.

Mother Shipton

A day-flying moth whose forewing markings resemble the profile of a witch's face. It is named after the famous English prophetess Mother Shipton.

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Did You Know?

The wing pattern clearly shows a hooked nose, chin, and eye in profile, resembling a caricature of a crone.