Pallas' sailer
This wide-ranging sailer flies in two generations a year and is found from central Europe across Russia and temperate Asia to Japan and Korea.
| Where | Forest edges across East Asia |
|---|---|
| Size | 40 to 46 mm wingspan |
| When | April to September |
The wings are dark brown to black crossed by bold white bands, a pattern shared by most Neptis sailers. The related Neptis pryeri is smaller winged with narrower white banding and a shorter, early-summer-only flight period.
Caterpillars feed on Spiraea shrubs at forest edges and clearings, and adults glide on flat wings between short bursts of wingbeats, a flight style typical of the whole sailer group.
Traits
Habitat
Woodland
Colour
Brown, White
Active
Day
To people
Harmless to people; often seen gliding along sunny forest edges.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Smaller winged with narrower white bands and a single early-summer flight, where Pallas' sailer flies more broadly from spring into autumn.
Questions
Is the Pallas' sailer dangerous to people?
Harmless to people; often seen gliding along sunny forest edges.
When can you see the Pallas' sailer?
The Pallas' sailer can be seen from April to September, by day.
Plate retouched from a photo by mnauky, CC BY 4.0, iNaturalist Licence
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Butterflies and moths›Brush-footed butterflies›Neptis
Last updated 2026-09-27. Every entry is checked against published sources.