Cephonodes picus - pellucid hawkmoth

These exotic hawk moths are truly a sight to behold, especially if you can observe them feeding. Despite their bulky bodies, they can hover just like a humming bird, an aeronautical miracle. This expands the bee-like moth’s repertoire of feeding blooms to even the most delicate, otherwise incapable of supporting the weight of such a chubby bug.

Their livery is always a treat to behold, in fact a rare treat to be savoured when the photographic opportunity arises.

Location is Ciranjang, West Java, Indonesia. Garden.

comments (7)

Mark Ridgway

Lion

What a cracker! Posted 9 years ago
1. Vodkaman
  
  Lion
  
  Thanks Mark.
  
  Dave Posted 9 years ago

RMFelix

Lion

Huge! great shot* Posted 9 years ago
1. Vodkaman
  
  Lion
  
  Yes, the first time you see one of these, you think it is a bee - scary!
  
  Dave Posted 9 years ago

Ferdy Christant

Lion

Spectacular, Dave! Posted 9 years ago

Back Water Fox

Lion

Down here we call that a bloody great shot. Pretty impressive Dave. Posted 9 years ago
1. Vodkaman
  
  Lion
  
  Thanks my friend, so kind :)
  
  Dave Posted 9 years ago

The Cephonodes picus

''Cephonodes picus'' is a moth of the family Sphingidae. It is found in most of the old world tropics, including India, the Cocos-Keeling Islands, the Maldives, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Torres Strait Islands, Brunei and the Chagos Archipelago.

The wingspan is about 50 mm. The wings have uniformly narrow opaque edges. The abdomen is brown with a dark band across one abdominal segment and a dark dorsal mark on the adjacent segment.

The larvae have been recorded.. more

Info 1 0

Similar species: Moths And Butterflies

Species identified by Vodkaman