Trinidad Morpho Butterfly vs Mother of Pearl Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Trinidad Morpho Butterfly Mother of Pearl Moth
Scientific Name Morpho achilles trinidadensis Patania ruralis
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Nymphalidae Crambidae
Size 95-110 mm wingspan 30-40 mm wingspan
Habitat Forests Hedgerows
Diet Sap Feeders Herbivores
Regions Trinidad Europe, temperate Asia, introduced to North America
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Trinidad Morpho Butterfly

A subspecies of morpho butterfly found in Trinidad with bright blue iridescent wings. It flies in forest clearings and along rivers.

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Did You Know?

Its blue color is structural, produced by nanoscale ridges on the wing scales rather than pigment.

Mother of Pearl Moth

A large crambid moth with translucent pearlescent wings bearing subtle brown markings. It is one of the larger and more attractive European grass moths.

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Did You Know?

Its wings have an opalescent sheen that gives the moth its poetic common name.