A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Project Noah Nature School
Actias isabellae
Female. A very rare moth. This spanish moon moth recently emerged from the cocoon, with the wings still not properly developed. Saturniidae. Endemic to the Spain Mainland distributed in six populations at the major mountain systems plus other two situated in French territory. The latter are attributed to human action through reforestation with samples from Spain. There are of great beauty with a predominantly green coloration crossed by veins of reddish brown. In the four wings also possess ocelli of varied colours and the hind wings of both sexes present a striking tail, with a more pronounced length in the male. The arboreal caterpillars only feed on the needles of specific species of pine, mainly of the species Pinus sylvestris, Pinus nigra salzmannii (European black pine) and Pinus uncinata. The caterpillar can be observed in this other spotting: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/140...
Spotted at Sierra de Guadarrama, in a pine forest, at 1300 m. altitude. Parque Nacional de Sierra de Guadarrama
The worn out thorax, the lack of hairs and the undeveloped hind-wing indicates a teratological specimen, i.e. an aberration that occurs in many butterflies. That does not prevent that it has already been fertilized by males or is about to happen. Males detect them kilometers away, according to the literature. These "miscarriages" of nature occur when there is a sudden change in increase in temperature/humidity and they fail to extend all the wings. Not only occurs in this species but in many other butterflies. Camera Model: NIKON D300. Exposure Time: 1/125 sec.; f/11.0; ISO Speed Rating: 800. Exposure Bias: -1 EV. Focal Length: 900.0 mm. No flash fired
Spotted on May 10, 2015
Submitted on Jun 2, 2015
37 Comments (1–25)
Thanks Antonio!.
Amazing spotting Arlanda,congrats on the well deserved SOTD and thanks for sharing
Thanks Luis, Bhagya, Leana and DrNamgyalT.Sherpa
Congrats arlanda on your SOTW!
It's very nice arlanda, congratulations on this SOTW!
nice one... Congrats arlanda
Congrats on your SOTW!
Thanks Malcolm, thanks Hema
Poor isabelina! What beautiful colors!
Congratulations on your SOTW.
Thanks to you, Leuba
Thanks James McNair
Congrats arlanda, great find!
Congratulations arlanda ! a well deserved SOTW. We need to acknowledge aberrations as well. Thanks again.
Thanks Yasser, it is a great honour. I have been a couple of years after this moth and it was bad luck that when I found one it resulted to be a teratological specimen. As you say it finally became more interesting than a healthy specimen since teratological individuals happen very often in many species, even in humans, and that is very common in lepidoptera.
http://britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk...
Angel, congratulations! This supremely fascinating series was chosen as our Spotting of the Week! Thank you for not only sharing such crisp photos, but for also adding so much interesting information. Definitely one of the most interesting moths I've ever seen. Congrats again!
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/projectnoah/pho...
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/projectnoah/status/6...
You're welcome, Mark!
Great info Angel. Thanks.
The worn out thorax, the lack of hairs and the undeveloped hind-wing indicates a teratological specimen, i.e. an aberration that occurs in many butterflies. That does not prevent that it has already been fertilized by males or is about to happen. Males detect them kilometers away, according to the literature. These "miscarriages" of nature occur when there is a sudden change in increase in temperature/humidity and they fail to extend all the wings. Not only occurs in this species but in many other butterflies
Thanks Zlatan, you are very nice!
Thanks Leuba, you are completely right. I have just added a link to the caterpillar spotting
fantastic shots and great explanation, thanks
Thanks Mari dB. I spotted the caterpillar two years ago and since then I have been trying to spot the adult without success. Finally, luck changed and I found it while having a picnic with the family. I spent a couple of hours drinking and eating a couple of metres away from the moth. In spite of its brilliant colours and big size it camuflages very well !!!!!
Thanks Fyn, it is great to be nominated for The Spotting of the Week
Fantastic spotting arlanda. It's good that Maria has brought your caterpillar spotting to attention -Maybe you should cross-link the spottings.
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/140...