Zodiac Moth vs Long-horned Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Zodiac Moth Long-horned Bee
Scientific Name Alcides metaurus Eucera longicornis
Order Lepidoptera Hymenoptera
Family Uraniidae Apidae
Size 8-10 cm wingspan 13-16 mm
Habitat Forests Grasslands
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Australia, Papua New Guinea Europe
Conservation Least Concern Near Threatened

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.

Long-horned Bee

Males are unmistakable with their extraordinarily long antennae, nearly as long as the body. It nests in the ground in warm, sunny grasslands.

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Did You Know?

The male's enormously long antennae are thought to help detect female pheromones at greater distances.