Manduca sexta (?) Jan. 2019 in San Diego - Cocytius antaeus San Marcos, San Diego County, California, USA January 4, 2019 Size: 8.5cm wingtip to body
Found dead along sidewalk about 6pm. First though it a dead young swift, it laid with white belly up, due to the large size (in the dorsal view photo the horizontal distance from wing tip to wing tip is 5.5 inches). Looked closer with flashlight and saw it was a moth! Took it home to make these photos. (graph paper scale in image shows 5x5mm blocks)
Specimen was in good physical condition, wings could still be moved, nothing had been eating it, so I assume it died within hours? Seemed unusual to find this here in January. Nighttime low temps have been in mid 30's here with daytime highs 60-70F.
Images of this individual: tag all Contributed by Greg Smith on 5 January, 2019 - 4:53pm Last updated 5 January, 2019 - 6:33pm |