Argent and Sable Moth vs Anna's Eighty-Eight

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Argent and Sable Moth Anna's Eighty-Eight
Scientific Name Rheumaptera hastata Diaethria anna
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Geometridae Nymphalidae
Size 28-34 mm wingspan 30-40 mm wingspan
Habitat Woodlands Rivers & Streams
Diet Herbivores Sap Feeders
Regions Northern Europe Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru
Conservation Near Threatened Least Concern

Argent and Sable Moth

A strikingly patterned black and white day-flying moth. Found on moorland and in birch woodland. Has declined severely in southern parts of its range. Named from heraldic terms.

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Did You Know?

Named using heraldic terms: 'argent' for silver/white and 'sable' for black, describing its bold pattern.

Anna's Eighty-Eight

A small neotropical butterfly with bright blue-green upper wings and a striking black-and-white numeral pattern underneath. It is closely related to Cramer's eighty-eight.

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Did You Know?

Despite being named for the number pattern, many individuals actually display patterns closer to '89' than '88.'