Smoky Wainscot vs Malabar Large White

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Smoky Wainscot	Malabar Large White
Scientific Name	Mythimna impura	Pieris brassicae mahometana
Order	Lepidoptera	Lepidoptera
Family	Noctuidae	Pieridae
Size	28-34 mm wingspan	55-65 mm wingspan
Habitat	Grasslands	Forests
Diet	Herbivores	Herbivores
Regions	Europe	Western Ghats, India
Conservation	Least Concern	Endangered

Smoky Wainscot

A dull brownish wainscot moth extremely common in grasslands. Larvae feed on various grass species. Often confused with the similar Common Wainscot.

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Did You Know?

So similar to the Common Wainscot that reliable identification often requires examination of genitalia.

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.

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Did You Know?

A high-altitude relict population isolated in the Western Ghats since the last ice age.