Sallow vs Sulkowsky's Morpho

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Sallow Sulkowsky's Morpho
Scientific Name Xanthia icteritia Morpho sulkowskyi
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Noctuidae Nymphalidae
Size 30-36 mm wingspan 90-110 mm wingspan
Habitat Hedgerows Forests
Diet Herbivores Sap Feeders
Regions Europe South America (Peru, Bolivia, Colombia)
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Sallow

A pretty golden-yellow moth found in autumn, associated with sallow trees. Adults can be attracted to sugar or wine rope. Larvae feed on sallow catkins before descending to feed on low plants.

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Did You Know?

Larvae begin life eating sallow catkins high in trees, then descend to complete development on ground-level plants.

Sulkowsky's Morpho

A high-altitude Morpho butterfly with translucent, pearly-white wings that display a subtle blue iridescence. Unlike most Morpho species, its wings are semi-transparent and appear to glow in sunlight. It frequents cloud forest clearings in the Andes.

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Did You Know?

Its translucent wings produce an unusual pearl-like sheen caused by a combination of structural coloration and very thin wing membranes.