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South African Luna Moth
Hi:
We just came back from a trip to South Africa where we found this large luna moth on the wall of our lodge. It looks slightly different from its American cousins, but there is a family resemblence.
Diane & Mark

Hi Diane and Mark,
Your moth is surely Luna-like. This tailed Saturnid Moth is probably in a different genus than the Luna, but it is definitely in the same family. We might eventually have a species name.

Hi, I noticed the South African Luna Moth on your website and thought you would like to know it is Argema mimosae – commonly called either Luna Moth or Moon Moth. Kind regards
Aaron in London

Update: (03/15/2008) Moth identification
What’s That Bug: Giant Silk Moths The top picture on this page, “South African Luna(like) Moth,” dated 04/08/06, is of Argema mittrei, also known as the Comet moth or Madagascan Moon Moth. I came across a picture of it while searching for identification of another moth just prior to accessing your site. What a coincidence. I generally would not write this long after an entry was posted, but I found no other reference to this beautiful creature on whatsthatbug.com .
Michelle Gill

Hi Michelle,
We believe the moth in question looks more like Argema mimosae, and since Argema mittrei is found in Madagascar, and the moth in question was in South Africa, we believe the identification that Aaron in London provided long ago is the correct one. Thanks for bringing this to our attention and we have now provided links from our entry.

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4. South African Moth: Automolis lateritia lateritia (February 4, 2007)
5. African Emperor Caterpillars from South Africa (February 20, 2009)