Tulip-tree Silk Moth vs Streamlined Backswimmer

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Tulip-tree Silk Moth Streamlined Backswimmer
Scientific Name Callosamia angulifera Notonecta irrorata
Order Lepidoptera Hemiptera
Family Saturniidae Notonectidae
Size 80-110 mm 10-13 mm
Habitat Forests Ponds & Lakes
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Eastern United States North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Tulip-tree Silk Moth

A large silk moth similar to the promethea but with more angular wing shapes and richer coloring. It is closely associated with tulip tree forests of the eastern United States.

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Did You Know?

The tulip-tree silk moth spins a distinctive leaf-wrapped cocoon that hangs from a branch by a silk peduncle, swaying in the wind all winter.

Streamlined Backswimmer

A pale backswimmer with mottled wings found in still and slow-moving waters across North America. Like other backswimmers, it hangs just below the water surface film waiting for prey vibrations. It is a strong underwater swimmer.

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Did You Know?

It senses prey by detecting surface water vibrations with specialized sensory hairs on its legs, effectively turning the water surface into a detection web.