Wallace's Longwing vs Puriri Moth
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Wallace's Longwing | Puriri Moth |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Heliconius wallacei | Aenetus virescens |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Nymphalidae | Hepialidae |
| Size | 60-72 mm wingspan | 100-150 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Forests | Grasslands |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Omnivores |
| Regions | South America (Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador) | Oceania (New Zealand - North Island) |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Wallace's Longwing
A relatively rare Heliconius species with dark wings marked by a distinctive yellow band on the forewing and red patches at the base of the hindwing. Named after the naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace. It is primarily found in western Amazonian forests.
Did You Know?
Named after Alfred Russel Wallace, who independently conceived the theory of evolution by natural selection while studying insects in South America and Southeast Asia.
Puriri Moth
New Zealand's largest moth, with a wingspan up to 150 mm. The caterpillars bore into the trunks of native trees, particularly puriri and putaputaweta, creating characteristic U-shaped tunnels. Adults have no functional mouthparts and do not feed.
Did You Know?
Puriri moth larvae can spend up to six years boring through living tree trunks before pupating and emerging as adults that live only a few days.