View from Hotel
Esmeralda,
Elevation: 1800 m. Coroico, Yungas, Bolivia january 24, 2008. Photographer; Lars Andersen
Owl
Moth, Thysania
zenobia. Coroico
Elevation: 1800 m. Yungas, Bolivia
31th January 2014.
Photographer: Ole
Andersen
17
august 2015; Hi dude. There is a
specimen in this page identified asLetis
buteo.
It's
actually a male Thysania
zenobia. Best regards, Cesar
Crash
White Witch, Thysania
agrippina. Caranavi, Yungas, Bolivia
26th january 2010.
Photographer; Lars Andersen
White Witch, Thysania
agrippina (Cramer, 1776) male. Family: Erebidae.
Caranavi, Yungas, Bolivia d. 25
february 2020. Photographer; Peter
Møllmann
White Witch, Thysania
agrippina. Coroico, Yungas, Bolivia 9th
january 2005. Photographer; Lars
Andersen
White Witch, Thysania
agrippina (Cramer, 1776) is a
moth species in the Calpinae subfamily, Erebidae family, Noctuoideasuper
family.
The
species has numerous common names,
including:
white witch, birdwing
moth, ghost
moth, great
grey witch and great
owlet moth.
It is the butterflies with the
biggest wingspan in the world,
which typically is reported as being up
to 27–28 cm (11–11 in)
and one Brazilian specimen had a wingspan
of almost 32 cm (12 in).
The Atlas
Moth, Attacus
atlas and Hercules
Moth, Coscinocera
hercules
however, have greater wing areas.
The White
Witch occurs
in Mexico, Central and South America,
and appears as a stray as far north as Texas,
USA.
The
species is generally widespread, but is
considered endangered in the state of
Rio
Grande do Sul,
Brazil, where it reaches the southern
limit of its distribution.
Surprisingly,
there appears to be no published reports
of the true host plant of T. agrippina.
Janzen & Hallwachs (1999) and
Robinson et al. (2002) report that
its sister species, Thysania
zenobia, hosts on Senna
and Cassia,
family Fabaceae,
subfamily Caesalpinioideae.
It seems likely that T.
agrippina
larvae also feed on woody
legumes.
Three
hundred years ago, a most remarkable
individual, Maria Sibylla
Merian (1647-1717)
depicted the four stages of the "Great
Owlet" Moth's
life history, the egg, larva, pupa and
adult in a 19.7 x 13.8 inch copperplate
engraving.
Versions of this famous work are found on
at least three websites:
White
Witch,
Thysania agrippina. Jatata inn Hotel.
Elevation: 600 m. Caranavi
Yungas,
Bolivia 12th January 2015. Photographer; Peter
Møllmann
After lots of
rain came two males Thysania
agreppina +24cm, to our 250w
mercury lamp in the garden.
Is
the largest moth in the world in terms of
recorded wingspan about 32 to 33 cm.!
White Witch, Thysania
agrippina. Coroico, Yungas, Bolivia 18th
january 2005. Photographer; Lars
Andersen
White Witch, Thysania
agrippina (Cramer, 1776) male.
Caranavi, Yungas, Bolivia november
26, 2021 Photographer; Peter
Møllmann
White Witch, Thysania
agrippina (Cramer, 1776) male.
Caranavi, Yungas, Bolivia november
27, 2021 Photographer; Peter
Møllmann
White Witch, Thysania
agrippina female no 1. I will try
to get some eggs from her. Caranavi, Yungas, Bolivia Dec. 2,
2021. Photographer; Peter
Møllmann
White Witch, Thysania
agrippina female no 2. Now together
with my first female, both in very good condition.
Caranavi, Yungas, Bolivia Dec. 8,
2021. Photographer; Peter
Møllmann
This morning I found 12 eggs laid
by my Thysania agrippina females.
Caranavi Bolivia Dec. 16, 2021.
Photographer; Gottfried Siebel and Nikolaj
Kleissl
Thysania agrippina, newly
hatched caterpillar. Must be the first ever photo
of this species.
Now I will try to find out what it will eat. 3
caterpillar have hatched so far. Size approx. 7-8mm.
Caranavi, Yungas, Bolivia December
22, 2021. Photographer; Peter
Møllmann
_____________
Thysania agrippina female no1
drinking sugarwater.
This female still in very good condition and
laying eggs every day.
When I recorded the video December
25, 2021 she was in captivity for 23 days,
started laying eggs after 13 days. Caranavi,
Yungas, Bolivia.
Photographer; Peter Møllmann
_____________
Peter Møllmann January 1,
2022: Thysania agrippina
caterpillar 2 days old. I now have 40+ live
caterpillars.
Still no real signs of suitable foodplant. I have
now tried more than 40 different species of tree
leaves.
The caterpillars survive 2-3 days without eating.
most of them eat their eggshell.
When resting many of the caterpillar are hanging
in the air on a silk thread 3 cm from the top lid
of plastic box.
Today I collected 150++ eggs from the cage, while
my 2 females was drinking sugar water. From
Caranavi, Bolivia.
____________________________________________
Peter Møllmann; Thysania
agrippina breeding update january
11, 2022.
My 2 females are still laying many eggs and many
caterpillars hatch, but they also die after 2-3
days.
I guess I have tried feeding them over 60
different types of local plants, none have been
accepted.
The search continues.
Oldest female from 2. december, and was
drinking sugarwater for 10 min. while I was
collecting eggs from their cage.
I have collected over 500 eggs now, almost all of
them hatch, after 6-7 days.
White Witch, Thysania
agrippina female no 1. I will try
to get some eggs from her.
Caranavi, Yungas, Bolivia Dec. 2,
2021. Photographer; Peter
Møllmann.
Peter Møllmann February
2. 2022. My first, and last surviving, Thysania
agrippina female was alive for 61
days!
Together with the second female they produced
more than 600 eggs. Maybe 500 of the eggs hatched
but they all died within
3 days. I have tried nearly 100 local plants but
none were accepted. I gave up making a list of
the plants I have tried.
Maybe I have tried some of the plants twice. Thysania
agrippina is common around
Caranavi, at least
1 specimen came to my moth lamp on the rooftop of
my hotel every week, all very fresh.
When looking at the surroundings of Caranavi I
know that I am looking at the foodplant.
____________________________________________
Cumbre Mururata, Elevation 5843 m. View
from Hotel Esmeralda. Coroico, Yungas,
Bolivia 7th january 2005. Photographer; Lars
Andersen
