Everyone is familiar with the famous death’s head hawkmoth, but I think it’s a shame we have popularized such a grim character. Above is a much more cheery Neotropical Arctiinae from French Guiana that looks like it’s sporting a clown face. Sadly this isn’t my photograph, but you should take a moment to explore Les Lépidoptéristes de France website. Their photos from their annual expeditions makes me jealous!
Many thanks for quoting our Idalus dorsalis picture from French Guyana and adding a link to our website. I’ll add asap a link to your interesting blog.
By the way, I was astonishing by reading your post “1984” about taking pictures of farms. Farms as military secret buildings !!! I’m sure it’s to protect (and hide) Monsanto activities.
All the best,
JMG
About death’s head moth, look at this one from Papua : Lymantria pelospila TURNER, 1915
Picture available on the page :
http://www.lepido-france.fr/2010/12/heteroceres-de-larfak/
See also : Xylophanes epaphus BOISDUVAL, 1875 : not a death’s head this time but a standing man wearing a hat !
From the page : http://www.lepido-france.fr/2011/04/sphingidae-de-guyane-francaise/
Many other moth interesting pics on the pages :
http://www.lepido-france.fr/category/H%C3%A9t%C3%A9roc%C3%A8res/
http://www.lepido-france.fr/2011/04/heteroceres-daustralie/
All the best
JMG
Thanks for the other links. Would love to tag along on one of those trips some day, looks like lots of fun!
I added a link to the Skeptical Moth on the page :
http://www.lepido-france.fr/liens/categorie/heteroceres/
All the best,
JMG