Fall Webworm vs Spanish Festoon

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Fall Webworm Spanish Festoon
Scientific Name Hyphantria cunea Zerynthia rumina
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Erebidae Papilionidae
Size 25-42 mm wingspan 42-52 mm wingspan
Habitat Grasslands Heathland
Diet Herbivores Nectar Feeders
Regions North America, Europe, Asia Southern Europe
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Fall Webworm

A native North American moth whose caterpillars build communal silk webs on tree branches. It has become invasive in Europe and Asia.

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Did You Know?

Unlike tent caterpillars, fall webworm nests enclose the foliage the larvae are feeding on.

Spanish Festoon

A brightly patterned butterfly with zigzag black markings and red and yellow patches on its wings. It is a spring-flying species restricted to the western Mediterranean.

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Did You Know?

Its caterpillar feeds on toxic birthwort plants, making both larva and adult distasteful to birds.