Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet vs Lichen-mimicking Stick Insect

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet Lichen-mimicking Stick Insect
Scientific Name Xanthorhoe ferrugata Pseudodiacantha macklottii
Order Lepidoptera Phasmatodea
Family Geometridae Phasmatidae
Size 22-28 mm wingspan 120-160mm
Habitat Woodlands Beaches & Coastal
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Europe Oceania
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet

A common but variable carpet moth found in gardens and hedgerows. Wing pattern ranges from pale to very dark. Larvae feed on bedstraws and other low plants.

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Did You Know?

So variable in appearance that dark and light forms were once described as separate species.

Lichen-mimicking Stick Insect

A large stick insect with a rough textured body covered in small outgrowths that mimic lichen. Its greenish-gray coloring completes the camouflage. It is nocturnal and incredibly slow-moving.

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Did You Know?

Its lichen-like texture is so detailed that even close inspection with a hand lens can fail to reveal it is an insect.