Acherontia atropos (African death's-head hawkmoth; adult, caterpillar, pupa) The Death's Head Hawk Moth,
CATERPILLAR AND PUPA,
From an original water-colour drawing by Professor F. E. Hulme, F.L.S. F.S.A.
Artist: Frederick Edward Hulme (1841–1909)
Title: Animal Life and the World of Nature; A magazine of Natural History
Year: 1902 (1900s)
Source book page: https://archive.org/stream/animallifeworldo119021903lond/animallifeworldo119021903lond#page/n57/mode/1up
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AAnimal_Life_and_the_World_of_Nature%3B_A_magazine_of_Natural_History_%281902%29_%2814581291330%29.jpg
The African death's-head hawkmoth (Acherontia atropos) is a species of moth that is most commonly identified by the vaguely skull-shaped pattern adorning the thorax. It is the largest moth in the British Isles and several other regions it inhabits, with a wingspan of 13 cm. The upper wings are dark, creating a stark contrast between them and the lower wings, which range from a bright yellow to a light cream, yellow being the more common. It is commonly found in the southern part of Europe and throughout much of Africa. The African death's-head hawkmoth appears in popular media, including the films The Silence of the Lambs (1991), Dracula (1958), and The Blood Beast Terror (1967).
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Sphingidae
Genus: Acherontia
Species: Acherontia atropos (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms
- Sphinx atropos Linnaeus, 1758
- Acherontia solani Oken, 1815
- Acherontia sculda Kirby, 1877
