karoopixie's Journal

Owl moths of the Erebidae. I call these the cellophane comma moths. They all have the distinctive yin-yang marking.

Quick cheat sheet

Detailed cheat sheet

Photo credits: Cometaster pyrula: @wynand_uys @hrodulf @dhfischer | Spirama glaucescens: @moira_fitzpatrick | Calliodes pretiosissima: @dhfischer @karinmitton | Erebus walkeri: @rodswazi @martinmandak | Cyligramma fluctuosa: @bartwursten | Cyligramma magus: @henrydelange | Cyligramma latona: @annagood @muonmo

Notes:

Apparently Cyligramma limacina does not occur in sA and obs on iNat are incorrectly ID'd and should be C. fluctuosa.
Cyligramma joa, a Madagascan species, may occur in sA. I have gone through all the Cyligramma obs on iNat and I don't see it there. C. joa on Afromoths - https://www.afromoths.net/species/43727
Erebus atavistis occurs in Zim. No obs that I can find on iNat yet. E. atavistis on Afromoths - https://www.afromoths.net/species_by_code/EREBATAV?tab=photos

Cyligramma joa copyright A. Basquin on Afromoths

Erebus atavistis copyright TMSA on Afromoths

As always, Thank You very much to the photographers!

Posted on April 5, 2024 12:04 PM by

The yellow/brown emperors with stripes, scallops and the pinkish wavy wash along the trailing wing margin.

Photo credits: Tagoropsis flavinata @magdastlucia | Pselaphelia flavivitta @richard_johnstone | Aurivillius fuscus @dhfischer / @paolocandotti / @dhfischer | Nudaurelia wahlbergii @carasylvia / @evingrody / @lindaloffler

A lovely photo by @moira_fitzpatrick showing both colour forms of A. fuscus together:

Thank you very much to the photographers!

Posted on April 11, 2024 10:24 AM by

The Nepheles (Sphingidae).

Photo credits: N. accentifera @rodswazi / @seanakruger / inset @bartwursten | N. peneus @wynand_uys / @qgrobler | N. vau @roelofvdb / @suncana | N. argentifera @meagan37 / @mexel | N. comma @scottfrichardson / @bartwursten / @bartwursten / @martinmandak | N. aequivalens @martinmandak | N. cf. rosae/oenopion @bartwursten | N. bipartita @bartwursten | N. funebris @ricky_taylor

The insets of the silver markings are all from the left forewing.

Notes

N. lannini apparently occurs in Moz. Looks pretty similar to N. funebris.
N. rosae and N. oenopion on Afromoths look so similar to me that I can't tell the difference. We have only one ob on iNat so far (ID'd as rosae), so I have no comparisons to work with.
All my images here need to be confirmed - please don't take this cheat sheet as gospel. If you have any suggestions for ID tips or corrections, please let me know!!
Nepheles usually have green and brown forms. Some, especially comma often don't have the silver marking on the wing, or just a silver dot.

Thank you to the photographers!

Posted on April 11, 2024 02:33 PM by

The Nepheles (Sphingidae).

Photo credits: N. accentifera @rodswazi / @seanakruger / inset @bartwursten | N. peneus @wynand_uys / @qgrobler | N. vau @roelofvdb / @suncana | N. argentifera @meagan37 / @mexel | N. comma @scottfrichardson / @bartwursten / @bartwursten / @martinmandak | N. aequivalens @martinmandak | N. cf. rosae/oenopion @bartwursten | N. bipartita @bartwursten | N. funebris @ricky_taylor

The insets of the silver markings are all from the left forewing.

Notes

N. lannini apparently occurs in Moz. Looks pretty similar to N. funebris.
N. rosae and N. oenopion on Afromoths look so similar to me that I can't tell the difference. We have only one ob on iNat so far (ID'd as rosae), so I have no comparisons to work with.
All my images here need to be confirmed - please don't take this cheat sheet as gospel. If you have any suggestions for ID tips or corrections, please let me know!!
Nepheles usually have green and brown forms. Some, especially comma often don't have the silver marking on the wing, or just a silver dot.