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Project Noah Nature School
Pachylia ficus
Very large, heavy Sphinx Moth of almost 7 cm in length. Brown and yellow with brown and yellow banded hind wings. The hind wings also have 2 bright white spots which also show when the moth is at rest. The head and thorax have a blue tinge to the hair. See a redder version of this moth spotted in the southern part of the state: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/208....
Came to the parking lights of a shopping mall, San Cristobal de Las Casas, 2,200 meters.
Since it was on the ground in the parking lot, I took it home and released it in the woods.
Thank you so much Reza! I'm glad now that I released it near my home. There is an enormous fig tree close by. What a neat link with so many pictures of all the possible color morphs. The most consistent feature is the little heart-shaped white spots on the hind wings. The larva has the tiniest little sphinx tail horn I've ever seen and so much color variation, it would be difficult to know what they were.
Spotted on May 8, 2013
Submitted on May 17, 2013
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