Zodiac Moth vs Flat Bark Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Zodiac Moth Flat Bark Beetle
Scientific Name Alcides metaurus Cucujus cinnaberinus
Order Lepidoptera Coleoptera
Family Uraniidae Cucujidae
Size 8-10 cm wingspan 11-15 mm
Habitat Forests Forests
Diet Nectar Feeders Wood Feeders
Regions Australia, Papua New Guinea Europe
Conservation Least Concern Vulnerable

Zodiac Moth

A spectacular day-flying moth with iridescent green and black wings resembling a swallowtail butterfly. It migrates in large numbers through north Queensland rainforests.

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Did You Know?

Its brilliant green wing color is produced by microscopic light-refracting structures, not pigment.

Flat Bark Beetle

A bright red, extremely flat beetle that lives beneath the bark of dead trees. It is an indicator species of old-growth forests.

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Did You Know?

Its body is so flat it can fit into spaces less than 2mm thick between bark layers.