Wallaces Golden Birdwing vs Madeiran Large White
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Wallaces Golden Birdwing | Madeiran Large White |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ornithoptera croesus | Pieris brassicae wollastoni |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Papilionidae | Pieridae |
| Size | 160-190 mm wingspan | 5-6 cm wingspan |
| Habitat | Forests | Forests |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Herbivores |
| Regions | Asia | Portugal |
| Conservation | Near Threatened | Critically Endangered |
Wallaces Golden Birdwing
Named after Alfred Russel Wallace, who called it the finest specimen he ever captured. Males are brilliant orange-gold and black. Found only in North Maluku, Indonesia.
Did You Know?
Wallace was so overwhelmed by catching this butterfly in 1859 that he wrote his head began to ache and he felt close to fainting from the beauty of the creature.
Madeiran Large White
A subspecies of the large white butterfly that was endemic to Madeira. It has not been reliably recorded since the 1970s and may be extinct.
Did You Know?
Pesticide use and introduced parasitoid wasps are believed to have driven it to the brink of extinction.