Subject: I found this moth!
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
March 6, 2013 4:22 pm
Hello! I really love insects, especially moths. Where I live, we don’t get to see many cute or colourful moths besides the normal household ones, so I was quite shocked when I saw this little beauty roaming around my house! I’m not sure if this moth is native to this part of the world; I think it might be an introduced species. I’d be really happy if you helped me identify this handsome little fellow.
(Sorry about the low quality pics)
Signature: Paula

Butterfly Moth

Dear Paula,
We believe we have correctly identified this as a Butterfly Moth, Paysandisia archon, and it is native to Argentina and it is represented on the Butterflies and Beetles of Argentina website.  According to the Fauna of Paraguay website:  “These are large, colourful and generally rare, day-flying moths with clubbed antennae – superficially resembling butterflies. Sensilla present on the antennal clubs. Large external ocelli and chaetosemata absent. Probocis often well-developed, occasionally reduced. Maxillary palpi small, labial palpi upturned. Epiphysis present and tibial spur formula 0-2-4. Sensory brushes occur on the pretarsus before the claws. Wings broad, venation little reduced. Wing coupling via frenulum-retinaculum system. CuP vein present or absent in both wings. Male genitalia with characteristically curved aedagus. Females typically with elongated ovipositor. (Scoble 1995).”  Interestingly, we identified your moth very quickly in our own archive because we thought it resembled a Fruit Piercing Moth from the family Noctuidae (see Purdue University Entomology website), a mistake we made before when a photo of a Butterfly Moth was sent to us from France.  When we learned its true identity, we discovered it was accidentally introduced to Europe from South America, and since the larvae are borers in palms, it is expected to be a problematic invasive exotic species in France if it becomes widely established.

Butterfly Moth

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Location:  Montpelier, southern France
July 27, 2010 12:21 pm
My sister recently found this moth in her garden. She lives near Montpelier in southern France. Could you identify it please,as it is not listed in any of my moth reference books.
Thankyou.
Nigel Harland

Possibly Fruit Piercing Moth

Hi Nigel,
We believe you may have photographed a Fruit Piercing Moth based on its appearance, though we are not certain if Fruit Piercing Moths are found in France.  Here is a link to an Australian species.  We are posting your letter and photos in the hope that one of our readers can supply any supporting or contradicting information.

Possibly Fruit Piercing Moth

Karl researches the Answer
Hi Daniel and Nigel:
This was very tricky one because it does look like an Underwing or Fruit-piercing Moth – and it is in the wrong hemisphere! I was able to track it down only because it reminded me of a species of Castnia that I photographed in Costa Rica last winter. It is actually a Castniid moth (Castniidae), a small and mostly neotropical family of day-flying moths (a few species in Australia and Asia). They are also called Butterfly Moths and are often mistaken for butterflies. The species is Paysandisia archon and according to Wikipedia:  “It is native to Uruguay and central Argentina and has been accidentally introduced to Europe, where it is spreading rapidly. It is considered the only member of the genus Paysandisia.”  The larvae are palm borers and are considered a serious pest. The spread of this species is being closely tracked in France and several other Mediterranean countries and it is likely that someone may be interested in this sighting. Regards. Karl

Hello Daniel and Karl,
Thankyou both so much for getting a positive identification on this moth, it appears to be quite a rarity.
Thanks again,
Nigel Harland.

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