Meadow Brown vs Figure of Eight Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Meadow Brown	Figure of Eight Moth
Scientific Name	Maniola jurtina	Diloba caeruleocephala
Order	Lepidoptera	Lepidoptera
Family	Nymphalidae	Noctuidae
Size	Wingspan 40-55mm	35-40 mm wingspan
Habitat	Grasslands	Orchards
Diet	Herbivores	Omnivores
Regions	Europe	Europe, western Asia
Conservation	Least Concern	Least Concern

Meadow Brown

The most abundant butterfly in Britain, a brown species with a single eyespot on each forewing.

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Did You Know?

So common it is often overlooked but plays a crucial role as a pollinator of wildflowers in grasslands.

Figure of Eight Moth

Named for the figure-of-eight marking on its grey forewing, this autumn-flying moth is often found at ivy blossom. Its caterpillar is blue-grey with yellow stripes.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the few moths that flies and breeds in late autumn when most species have already ended their season.