Unidentified moth?

Norman Tulloch

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May 1, 2006, 4:13:26 PM5/1/06

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Can anyone tell me what this beastie is?

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h59/Elliebeespics/DSC01142.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h59/Elliebeespics/DSC01143.jpg

Thanks.

Norman Tulloch

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May 1, 2006, 4:15:20 PM5/1/06

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Seen (I should have said) in a garden in the UK.

Norman Tulloch

David Howdon

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May 1, 2006, 5:39:10 PM5/1/06

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An indication of size usually helps when asking for an ID

Is it an odd angled shot of Phragmatobia fuliginosa (Ruby Tiger)? See
pictures at http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?bf=2064

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To contact me take a davidhowdon and add a @yahoo.co.uk to the end.

Norman Tulloch

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May 1, 2006, 6:39:33 PM5/1/06

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Thanks for the suggestion, David.

I've had a look at various pictures of Phragmatobia fuliginosa and it
doesn't look altogether similar, but, as you say, maybe the pictures
were taken from an unusual angle. I suspect also that they were taken
with a digital camera on a "vivid" setting, so maybe the colours are
more intense than they would normally be.

Incidentally, I didn't take the pictures and I haven't seen the actual
insect; an enquiry was posted on a General Discussion forum at:
http://forum.digitalspy.co.uk/board/showthread.php?t=371616

Thanks again.

Norman Tulloch

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May 1, 2006, 6:46:29 PM5/1/06

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David,

You suggested that it would have been helpful if I had given an
indication of the size of the moth.

The person who asked about it said that it was "about 3 inches in
length".

Norman Tulloch

OscartheGrouch

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May 1, 2006, 8:30:51 PM5/1/06

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"Norman Tulloch" <norman....@virgin.net> wrote in message
news:1146523589.0...@i39g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

Is it just me? What is that thing doing with it's forewings? And hindwings
for that matter. Bending them along a median line at 90 degrees out away
from the body? ??

Norman Tulloch

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May 2, 2006, 10:44:52 AM5/2/06

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David, I told the lady who took the photographs about your suggestion
that it was a Ruby Tiger and gave her links to various pictures of it.
She has replied that she thinks it is "definitely a Ruby Tiger" that
she saw. Thank you again for your help.

The wings do look strange, though!

Norman Tulloch

David Howdon

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May 2, 2006, 4:55:16 PM5/2/06

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Three inches is big for a moth - puts it largely into the hawkmoth
category if this size is accurate. There is (as Oscarthegrouch notes
later in this thread) something odd about where its wings are, they seem
to be bent half way through which just looks wrong.

Flight season (assuming the date on the picture is accurate) is correct
for Ruby Tiger also.

Norman Tulloch

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May 2, 2006, 5:43:57 PM5/2/06

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I suspect the "three inches" may be a bit of an exaggeration.

Any theories on why the wings could look like that? Is the poor
creature just deformed?

Carolyn King

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May 2, 2006, 5:46:54 PM5/2/06

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Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I didn't get the original posting.

I saw a moth that did something similar to this, in Costa Rica 9 years ago. Unfortunately we put off taking a photograph of it that night, and the next morning it had assumed a normal position. I haven't mentioned it to many people because I didn't think they'd believe me! Has anyone else observed this?

It doesn't look like "3 inches in length" to me, judging by the plywood next to it, more like 1 inch.

Carolyn King
Toronto Entomologists' Association

"OscartheGrouch" <Tond...@hotmail.com>
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05/01/06 08:30 PM

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Hugh McGuinness

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May 2, 2006, 6:05:37 PM5/2/06

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Can someone re-port the original link to eh photo of this moth? I don’t seem to have received the original e-mail.

hugh

Hugh McGuinness

The Ross School

18 Goodfriend Dr.

East Hampton, NY 11963

631-907-5229 (no messages)

631-697-2099 (cell)

James Adams

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May 2, 2006, 6:07:22 PM5/2/06

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Listers,

Somehow I missed the original link -- could someone send it
again? It sounds like a moth in the familiy Epiplemidae (or in the
subfamily Epipleminae of the Uraniidae, depending on your taxonomic bent),
but I want to see the original photo.

James

James K. Adams
jad...@daltonstate.edu
Phone: (706)272-4427
FAX: (706)272-2235
Visit the Georgia Lepidoptera Website:
http://www.daltonstate.edu/galeps/

David Howdon

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May 3, 2006, 1:00:57 PM5/3/06

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Possibly just didn't manage to expand its wings properly after emerging
from its pupa. Did the person who saw it observe whether it could fly
normally?