Eastern Death's Head Hawkmoth

Eastern Death's Head Hawkmoth

Acherontia styx

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
at Jodhpur

In 3 days ~60% in a week ~90%

5 Verified sightings at Jodhpur
September Best month

About the Eastern Death's Head Hawkmoth

Acherontia styx, the lesser death's head hawkmoth or bee robber, is a sphingid moth found in Asia, one of the three species of death's-head hawkmoth. It is very fond of honey, and beekeepers have reported finding dead moths in their hives as a result of bee stings. They can mimic the scent of bees so that they can enter a hive unharmed to get honey. Their tongue, which is stout and very strong, enables them to pierce the wax cells of the beehive and suck the honey out. They are also known to be a pest of yuzu (Citrus junos) in South Korea, using their tongue to pierce and damage the fruit.

This species is similar to the European A. atropos but differs in having two medial bands on the underside of the forewing, instead of one, and usually no dark bands across the ventral surface of the abdomen. The skull-like marking is darker and there is a faint blue tornal dot enclosed by a black submarginal band on the hindwing upperside. The forewing discal spot (stigma) is orange; in A. atropos it is usually white. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability

More parks will be added in future updates.

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Jodhpur 🇮🇳 India
~30%
2 Doha 🇶🇦 Qatar
~20%
3 Vadodara 🇮🇳 India
~20%
4 Dubai 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
~20%
5 Ahmedabad 🇮🇳 India
~20%
6 Nashik 🇮🇳 India
~10%
7 Ho Chi Minh City 🇻🇳 Vietnam
~10%
8 Hyderabad 🇮🇳 India
~10%
9 Pune 🇮🇳 India
~10%
10 Bengaluru 🇮🇳 India
~10%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an Eastern Death's Head Hawkmoth in Jodhpur?

Possible

About 30% of wildlife watchers report an Eastern Death's Head Hawkmoth sighting in Jodhpur on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 8th most-seen of the 11 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see an Eastern Death's Head Hawkmoth in Jodhpur?

September

In that month about 50% of wildlife watchers report an Eastern Death's Head Hawkmoth in Jodhpur on a given day, against under 5% in February–March, May and July, the lowest months. That is one of Jodhpur's wettest months, with about 50 mm of rain against almost none in January.

Is Jodhpur the best place to see an Eastern Death's Head Hawkmoth?

Yes

Of the 15 cities where we can rate Eastern Death's Head Hawkmoth sightings, Jodhpur has the highest daily chance: about 30%. Next come Doha (Qatar, about 20%) and Vadodara (India, about 20%).

Which relatives of the Eastern Death's Head Hawkmoth live in Jodhpur?

Same order: Lepidoptera

The closest relatives of the Eastern Death's Head Hawkmoth that you can see in Jodhpur (order Lepidoptera, Butterflies and Moths) are Pioneer White (about 40%), Banded Scarlet Tip (about 40%) and Blue Pansy (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Eastern Death's Head Hawkmoth sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Eastern Death's Head Hawkmoth is recorded against all the insects logged in Jodhpur (5 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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