clouded magpie vs Common Tansy

Abraxas sylvata compared with Tanacetum vulgare

Key Differences

clouded magpie is Vulnerable while Common Tansy is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	clouded magpie	Common Tansy
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)	Asterales (Daisies & Sunflowers)
Family	Geometridae	Asteraceae (Daisy Family)
Genus	Abraxas	Tanacetum
Species	Abraxas sylvata	Tanacetum vulgare

Conservation Status

clouded magpie

VU — Vulnerable

Common Tansy

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	clouded magpie	Common Tansy
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

clouded magpie

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Common Tansy

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (China, Japan), Europe (13 countries), North America (Canada, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (4 countries).

clouded magpie

The clouded magpie (Abraxas sylvata) is a geometrid moth in the family Geometridae found across temperate Europe, extending eastward through Russia to Japan. The adult wingspan measures approximately 32–42 mm, with white wings bearing a distinctive pattern of yellow-orange and dark grey to black spots and patches arranged in rows across the forewing and hindwing, creating a striking patterned appearance resembling the magpie coloring of the related magpie moth Abraxas grossulariata, but with a more yellowish, muted tone and less black — hence 'clouded.' Adults fly in one generation from June to July, resting on leaf surfaces and attending woodland flowers for nectar. The larvae feed on wych elm (Ulmus glabra) and occasionally other Ulmus species in mature deciduous woodland and woodland edges. The clouded magpie has become less common in parts of its European range due to the widespread loss of mature elms from Dutch elm disease, which devastated European elm populations from the 1970s onward. Conservation of this species requires the protection of surviving mature elm trees and management of regrowth elms in woodland ecosystems.

Common Tansy

<em>Tanacetum vulgare</em>, common tansy, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Asteraceae, native to temperate regions of Asia and Europe and widely naturalized across North America, Australia, and South America. It typically grows in disturbed habitats, roadsides, riverbanks, and waste ground, forming dense colonies through vigorous rhizome spread. The plant bears deeply divided, fernlike leaves and clusters of bright yellow, button-like flower heads in late summer. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List given its expansive, growing range. Common tansy contains toxic compounds including thujone and camphor, making it poisonous to livestock and humans in large quantities, though historically it was used as a culinary herb and medicinal plant. Its strong aromatic scent has traditionally been used as an insect repellent. The species is considered invasive in several regions outside its native range. It provides nectar and pollen for various insects. Biological traits such as precise seed output figures, individual lifespan, and biomass data remain poorly documented in standardized assessments.