Apple Leaf Miner vs Painted Lady

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Apple Leaf Miner Painted Lady
Scientific Name Lyonetia clerkella Vanessa cardui
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Lyonetiidae Nymphalidae
Size 7-9 mm wingspan 54-73 mm wingspan
Habitat Orchards Tundra & Arctic
Diet Herbivores Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe Africa, Europe, Asia, North America, Oceania
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Apple Leaf Miner

A tiny moth whose serpentine leaf mines are visible on apple and cherry leaves. The mine appears as a winding white trail. Adults are silvery-white micro-moths.

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Did You Know?

The characteristic winding leaf mine reveals the complete feeding journey of the larva from egg to pupation.

Painted Lady

The most widely distributed butterfly in the world, found on every continent except Antarctica and South America. Known for long-distance migrations across continents.

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Did You Know?

Painted lady butterflies make the longest known insect migration — up to 15,000 km round-trip between Europe and sub-Saharan Africa across generations.