Vine Hawk Moth vs Spanish Festoon

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Vine Hawk Moth Spanish Festoon
Scientific Name Hippotion velox Zerynthia rumina
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Sphingidae Papilionidae
Size 55-70 mm 42-52 mm wingspan
Habitat Woodlands Heathland
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia Southern Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Vine Hawk Moth

A sleek olive-brown hawk moth with a distinctive pale dorsal stripe. It is widespread across Africa and Asia, and is one of the most commonly encountered sphingids in Australia.

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Did You Know?

Hippotion velox is one of the most common hawk moths encountered in Australian suburban gardens, where it is attracted to outdoor lights.

Spanish Festoon

A brightly patterned butterfly with zigzag black markings and red and yellow patches on its wings. It is a spring-flying species restricted to the western Mediterranean.

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Did You Know?

Its caterpillar feeds on toxic birthwort plants, making both larva and adult distasteful to birds.