Marbled Minor vs Green-banded Swallowtail

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Marbled Minor Green-banded Swallowtail
Scientific Name Oligia strigilis Papilio nireus
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Noctuidae Papilionidae
Size 24-28 mm wingspan 80-100 mm wingspan
Habitat Underground Rivers & Streams
Diet Root Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe Sub-Saharan Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Marbled Minor

A small, cryptically marked moth that is extremely variable in pattern. Part of a complex of similar-looking species that can only be reliably separated by dissection.

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Did You Know?

Part of a notoriously difficult species complex where three species look almost identical.

Green-banded Swallowtail

A striking black swallowtail with brilliant metallic blue-green bands across both wings. It is a fast flier often seen mud-puddling along rivers.

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Did You Know?

Males gather in large numbers at muddy riverbanks to drink mineral-rich water, a behavior called mud-puddling.