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Asian Death-head Hawk Moth

Acherontia sp.

Description:

[ Credit : Wikipidia ] Acherontia styx is a Sphingid moth found in Asia, one of the three species of Death's-head Hawkmoth, also known as the Bee Robber. It is very fond of honey and bee keepers have reported to have found dead moths in their hives as a result of bee stings. They can mimic the scent of bees so that they can enter a hive unharmed to get honey. Their tongue, which is stout and very strong, enables them to pierce the wax cells of the beehive and suck the honey out. They are also known to be a pest of yuzu (Citrus junos) in South Korea, using their tongue to pierce and damage the fruit. This species is similar to the European A. atropos but differs in having two medial bands on the underside of the forewing, instead of one, and usually no dark bands across the ventral surface of the abdomen. The skull-like marking is darker and there is a faint blue tornal dot enclosed by a black submarginal band on the hindwing upperside. The forewing discal spot (stigma) is orange; in A. atropos it is usually white.

Habitat:

[ Credit : Wikipidia ] The variant referred to as Acherontia occurs throughout eastern continental Asia, from northeastern China (to where it is a migrant) and Japan, south through eastern China and Vietnam to Peninsular Malaysia and peninsular Thailand.

Notes:

I found it on the tree , in front of my house.

1 Species ID Suggestions

bayucca
bayucca 12 years ago
Asian Death-head Hawk Moth
Acherontia sp.


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2 Comments

Prachaya Boom Jan
Prachaya Boom Jan 12 years ago

thank you so much for your information :D

bayucca
bayucca 12 years ago

Unfortunately the pictures are not as sharp as it can used for a definite ID. Acherontia are usually yellow, green or brownish, depending of the type. In Europe the green form (A. atropos) is rarer than the other ones. In your case I think it is either Acherontia lachesis or Acherontia stys, both are seen in your area.
http://tpittaway.tripod.com/china/a_lac....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acherontia_...
http://tpittaway.tripod.com/china/a_sty....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acherontia_...

Prachaya Boom Jan
Spotted by
Prachaya Boom Jan

กรุงเทพมหานคร, กรุงเทพมหานคร, Thailand

Spotted on Feb 15, 2012
Submitted on Feb 16, 2012

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