Waved Sphinx Moth vs Mocker Swallowtail
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Waved Sphinx Moth | Mocker Swallowtail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ceratomia undulosa | Papilio dardanus |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Sphingidae | Papilionidae |
| Size | 75-100 mm | 80-105 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Underground |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Nectar Feeders |
| Regions | Eastern North America | Sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Waved Sphinx Moth
A large gray hawk moth with wavy dark lines across the forewings, providing superb bark camouflage. It is one of the most commonly encountered sphingids at lights in eastern North America.
Did You Know?
The waved sphinx is so common at porch lights in the eastern US that it is often the first sphinx moth most people encounter.
Mocker Swallowtail
A remarkable swallowtail where females mimic several different toxic butterfly species while males look completely different. Males are yellow and black with tails.
Did You Know?
Females can occur in over a dozen different color forms, each mimicking a different toxic butterfly species.