Sallow Kitten vs Doris Longwing

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Sallow Kitten Doris Longwing
Scientific Name Furcula furcula Heliconius doris
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Notodontidae Nymphalidae
Size 30-37 mm wingspan 65-80 mm wingspan
Habitat Rivers & Streams Forests
Diet Herbivores Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe South America (Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia)
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Sallow Kitten

A small, fluffy white moth with delicate grey markings. Named for its resemblance to a small cat. Larvae have tail filaments like the puss moth. Found near willow and sallow.

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Did You Know?

A diminutive relative of the puss moth, whose caterpillars share the same tail-whipping defensive behavior.

Doris Longwing

A highly variable Heliconius butterfly that occurs in multiple color forms including blue, red, and green morphs. All forms share the same basic wing shape but differ dramatically in color pattern. It inhabits the understory of dense tropical forests.

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Did You Know?

A single population can contain blue, red, and green color morphs, all controlled by a single genetic switch, making it a model for studying wing pattern evolution.