clifden nonpareil vs red underwing

Catocala fraxini compared with Catocala nupta

Key Differences

• clifden nonpareil is Least Concern while red underwing is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	clifden nonpareil	red underwing
Kingdom same	Animalia (สัตว์)	Animalia (สัตว์)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (สัตว์ขาปล้อง)	Arthropoda (สัตว์ขาปล้อง)
Class same	Insecta (แมลง)	Insecta (แมลง)
Order same	Lepidoptera (ผีเสื้อ)	Lepidoptera (ผีเสื้อ)
Family same	Erebidae	Erebidae
Genus same	Catocala	Catocala
Species	Catocala fraxini	Catocala nupta

Evolutionary Relationship

clifden nonpareil and red underwing share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Catocala.

Conservation Status

clifden nonpareil

LC — Least Concern

red underwing

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	clifden nonpareil	red underwing
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

clifden nonpareil

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

red underwing

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

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

clifden nonpareil

The Clifden Nonpareil, Catocala fraxini, is one of Europe's largest and most spectacular moths in the family Erebidae, named for the village of Clifden in Ireland where early specimens were recorded, with 'nonpareil' meaning 'without equal' in French. The forewings are subtly beautiful, with complex gray, brown, and black marbling that provides excellent camouflage against bark when at rest. When disturbed, the moth reveals startlingly vivid hindwings marked with broad bands of blue-lilac and black, a classic startle display intended to deter predators. Adults have a wingspan of up to 90 mm. The species is found from western Europe east through central Asia to Japan, inhabiting mature deciduous woodland and riverside forests where aspen (Populus tremula) and poplars (Populus species) grow, as these are the larval food plants. Adults fly in late summer and autumn, visiting blackberry, ivy, and overripe fruit for sugar-rich food. The Clifden Nonpareil was once widespread in Britain but underwent severe decline during the 20th century due to loss of mature poplar woodland and riverside habitat. Conservation efforts including habitat restoration have allowed gradual recolonization of former British sites. The species is now slowly recovering in parts of southern England.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden