moth question

Mark Boddington mark.boddington at st-johns.oxford.ac.uk
Tue Mar 16 18:40:07 EST 1999


This information actually pertains to the closely related Acherontia
atropos, which does occur in Europe.  Acherontia styx is NOT a European
species, but is similar in many respects - for more information refer to the
URL in my recent post and also Mike Soukup's post.

Also, http://web.hku.hk/~kendrick/sph/hksphi.htm#HKSphingidae-List contains
more Acherontia links and images of the third remaining member of the genus,
A. lachesis.

Regards,
Mark.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-leps-l at lists.yale.edu [mailto:owner-leps-l at lists.yale.edu]On
> Behalf Of Mothman617
> Sent: 16 March 1999 22:53
> To: leps-l at lists.yale.edu
> Subject: Re: moth question
>
>
> Yes. Acherontia styx is better known as the 'Deaths Head
> Hawkmoth'. It is found
> throughout southern Europe, Central Asia and N. Africa. Many
> other species of
> Acherontia can be found throughout Asia and Indonesia. The larva
> feeds upon
> Deadly Nightshade and other members of the Solanaceae. There are many
> superstitions surrounding this moth due to the conspicuous 'skull' like
> markings upon the thorax and is thought to bring bad luck, misfortune or a
> death in ones family if one is encountered inside ones dwelling.
> During the
> 1600's in Europe, if one of these moths were seen on ones
> property, the owner
> would then be accused of being  a witch and thus prosecuted and
> sent to the
> gallows.
> This moth even had its Hollywood movie debut in the 1991 thriller
> 'Silence of
> the Lambs'.
>
>


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