Malabar Large White vs Autumnal Moth
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Malabar Large White | Autumnal Moth |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Pieris brassicae mahometana | Epirrita autumnata |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Pieridae | Geometridae |
| Size | 55-65 mm wingspan | 28-35 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Forests | Forests |
| Diet | Herbivores | Herbivores |
| Regions | Western Ghats, India | Scandinavia, Finland, northern Russia, subarctic Siberia |
| Conservation | Endangered | Least Concern |
Malabar Large White
A rare subspecies of the Large White butterfly endemic to the Western Ghats of India. Found only in high-altitude forests. Threatened by habitat degradation.
Did You Know?
A high-altitude relict population isolated in the Western Ghats since the last ice age.
Autumnal Moth
A grayish-brown moth with faint wavy crosslines on the forewings. It flies in autumn in subarctic birch forests. Periodic outbreaks of its larvae can completely defoliate vast areas of mountain birch forest.
Did You Know?
Outbreaks of this moth in Scandinavian birch forests occur roughly every 10 years and can kill entire mountain birch forests across thousands of hectares.