Subject: Help in IDing a large moth ? (please?)

From: [email-masked] (Martin Fraser)
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 1996 13:02:33 GMT

Hi, I'm a newbie, but I'm sure this answer will be known to someone
reading this group: We're trying to identify a large green moth found
in the Boston areathis AM:

3+ inch wingspan
'swallowtails' - 4+ inch overall length
white hairy body
brown antennae and legs
light green color

It is quite beautiful and I know I've seen it's picture in books but
we cannot come up with it's common name.

Thanks very much with your help with this.

Sincerely
Martin Fraser and friends

PS. Also, could you tell me if moths tend to migrate in the fasion of
some butterflies? Does our greenie migrate?  many thanks again!

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From: [email-masked] (Chris Raper)
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 1996 14:02:11 GMT

On Fri, 14 Jun 1996 13:02:33 GMT, [email-masked] (Martin Fraser)

>we cannot come up with it's common name.

Hi Martin,

The only moth that I have seen like that was a very migratory species
in South America called Urania (leilus?) which is very spectacular.
Lots of metalic green stripes on its wings etc..

It tends to fly a lot and hardly ever stops - for anything.

At the right times of year it can be very common in South America but
I don't know if it flies very far north of there

Hope that helps
Chris R.

--
All views are my own and are not necessarily those of my employer.

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From: [email-masked] (Martin Fraser)
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 1996 15:31:13 GMT

On Fri, 14 Jun 1996 14:02:11 GMT, [email-masked] (Chris

>I don't know if it flies very far north of there

Thanks Chris, but I don't think that's our guy.
My moth has pale green wings with 4 'eyespots', one on each wing
measuring 3/8 - 1/4" in diam. It also has a dark brown stripe allong
the leading edge of the front wings. (soorry to have left out these
significant details)

The wingspan is actually ~4" not 3+" and it is quite lethargic, having
moved little in the pas couple hours. It has a 3/4" tear in a rear
wing but I should think that it could still fly if it wanted...

thanks again for any further thoughts from you kind
entemologists/lepidopterists - much appreciated.

Martin

(I don't believe my employer HAS a view on moths, but I'll certainly
check on it  :)

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From: [email-masked] (Chris Raper)
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 1996 16:45:46 GMT

On Fri, 14 Jun 1996 15:31:13 GMT, [email-masked] (Martin Fraser)

>entemologists/lepidopterists - much appreciated.

OK - how about a Saturnid (silkmoth) like a Moon-moth. I can't
remember the exact scientific name but (something like Actias luna?).
There are several species - some of which are not from the Americas. I
don't know if you get this exact one but it would be a good starting
point.

These are far more likely to occur in the north and fit your
description better.

Cheers
Chris R.

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From: Neil Jones <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 16 Jun 96 21:40:24 GMT

> >in the Boston areathis AM:

This is a Moon moth Actias luna. It is a gorgeous creature.
I believe it might be called the Luna moth sometimes in the US.

> Lots of metalic green stripes on its wings etc..

It is Urania leilus. A very spectacular species like a green tiger swallowtail.

> It tends to fly a lot and hardly ever stops - for anything.

It does mud puddle like butterflies do and seems to share their liking
for urine. 

You can see a photograph of this U. leilus which I took in Ecuador
at http://www.digiserve.com/apollo/ecuador.html

-- 
Neil Jones- [email-masked] "The beauty and genius of a work of art
may be reconceived, though its first material expression be destroyed, but when
the last individual of a race of living things breathes no more another heaven
and another earth must pass before such a one can be again." William Beebe