Help identifying this moth (1 Viewer)

S

Scowley

New member

• Sep 1, 2010

• #1

Hi!

My dad saw this moth recently on holiday in the Côte d'Azur in France and we can't identify it. There were a few types of hawk moth about and he thought it could have been in the Sphingidae family. I've had a look about but we can't find anything. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Chris.

 

Attachments

• 
  Summer 2010 174.jpg

  47.5 KB · Views: 61

ta brandreth

Well-known member

• Sep 1, 2010

• #2

Hummingbird hawkmoth...

 

joshjenkinsshaw

Kent Birder

• Sep 1, 2010

• #3

ta brandreth said:

Hummingbird hawkmoth...

Click to expand...

No, its Paysandisia archon - originally from S.America but now resident in the south of France.

 

S

Scowley

New member

• Sep 1, 2010

• #4

Amazing, that's spot on! Thanks a lot mate. I guess the fact that it's not native explains why it wasn't showing up in a lot of the French species lists etc.

 

honeym

Well-known member

• Sep 1, 2010

• #5

Hi Chris

As Josh says, it's Paysandisia archon, a moth belonging to the family Castniidae, some of which are remarkably butterfly-like in appearance.

It was accidentally introduced to Europe some years ago and has even been recorded twice in the UK. Many of the records are, as you might guess, from imported plants, specifically palms but it has transferred onto some native species in the mediterranean region (Spain, France, Italy and the Balearic Islands). It is quite a major pest problem.

A friend of mine saw four together recently on Mallorca.

Martin

 

S

Scowley

New member

• Sep 2, 2010

• #6

Thanks a lot, I'm dead impressed with the speed of this site!