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Greater Death's Head Hawkmoth

Acherontia lachesis

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Field Notes

Description:

First 3 photos taken on the 28th last 3 taken on the 29th on the same spot on the wall of our house, I thought they were of the same individual but on closer inspection they seem different. The colour differences must be due to using a camera for the first 3 and a phone camera for the last 3. Or could it be a male and a female ?

Species ID Suggestions

Greater Death's Head Hawkmoth

Acherontia lachesis

Reference Link
bayucca
1

Comments (8)
bayucca
Then it is the differences between the cameras and the time of the day when the picture was taken. Depending on the available light (am or pm!) and the quality of the lense, pictures might look completely different regarding colors and visibility of structures. Phone cameras are usually of reduced quality, not really bad, but also not really good ones. At noon you have very strong and intense light, whereas in the morning or later afternoon you have "warmer" light with less intensity, but more shadows.
Laknath Bandaranaike
No flash was used as light was good, first 3 photos around 3 pm, second 3 about 9 am. I also thought same individual as it was on the same spot on both occasions, but they seem different. Thanks Bayucca
bayucca
Yes, the same species, maybe also the same individual. Did you use flash for the first three?
Laknath Bandaranaike
Thanks Bayucca. Will edit the spotting. Is it the same individual in all photos ?
bayucca
Sphingidae, Sphinginae, Acherontia lachesis. http://www.boldsystems.org/index.php/Taxbrowser_Taxonpage?taxid=22143 http://tpittaway.tripod.com/china/a_lac_a2.jpg http://www.biolib.cz/en/image/id48362/ http://www.inaturalist.org/listed_taxa/3412295 http://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/121837-Acherontia-lachesis

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Butterflies & Moths of the World
Mission
Biodiversity of Sri Lanka
Mission
Moths Of Sri Lanka
Photographed
PublishedSeptember 29, 2014

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