Nocturnal Rarities

[Deleted]

I recently got this one which I've wanted for years. I've purchased some real nocturnal goodies these last months, but this one takes the cake for me.

Antistathmoptera daltonae granti 95mm wingspan
Morogoro, Mikesse, TANZANIA 400m
Aug. 11, 2008

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[wollastoni]

Fantastic moth, congrats Bill!
I have seen it was a big fight on ebay, glad you got it !

[Deleted]

Thanks Wallastni, but it was the female that was big on EBay, not this boy. I bought him outright prior to that auction.

[bugboys3]

That is really cool Bill. Nice addition to your fine collection.

[saturniidave]

The males come up regularly enough (but not cheaply!) But females always go for big bucks. I wish someone would try and get eggs from a female, it would be awesome to breed this.
Nice acquisition Bill!

[jensb]

saturniidave, i would totally agree it would really be great to breed.
Maybe we should contact a seller and ask him / her to give us next time some eggs.

@bill it is indeed a very nice pease for your collection.

greets jens

[Deleted]

I did get a few eggs of ssp. rectangulata from a female taken in Mozambique, near Cahora Bassa, only two larvae hatched and they didn't make it though the second instar. As many other African Saturniidae this species would probably prove quite hard to breed.

jensb, you don't just "ask a seller" for eggs of daltonae, females are very rare in collection!

[wollastoni]

One male for sale on ebay: rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=9&pub=5575041726&toolid=10001&campid=5337312464&customid=&icep_uq=daltonae&icep_sellerId=&icep_ex_kw=&icep_sortBy=12&icep_catId=1335&icep_minPrice=&icep_maxPrice=&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229466&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg

[Deleted]

Apr 22, 2013 6:20:21 GMT -8 wollastoni said:

One male for sale on ebay: rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=9&pub=5575041726&toolid=10001&campid=5337312464&customid=&icep_uq=daltonae&icep_sellerId=&icep_ex_kw=&icep_sortBy=12&icep_catId=1335&icep_minPrice=&icep_maxPrice=&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229466&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg

Wollastoni, actually that male being offered is also mine.

I am about to cancel the bidding as I intend to keep it unless someone is willing to pay a higher amount for it.
I have some more males from that same ssp. but they all slightly different, the ground color is quite variable even in between the same population, that specimen is very pale colored compared to all others I have! Also size is variable, being the southern ssp. much smaller than for example A. daltonae daltonae. I think that's related with altitude and climate, being that the ones found in the Mozambique-Zambia-Zimbabwe border occur in a much more arid climate. Of course I could be wrong.

Thadeos

[Deleted]

Thanks for the replies. I had kinda counted on others posting pics of norturnal goodies/rarities. I do have the ultimate coming in the mail........Eochroa trimenii ( A1 pair) I have waited for for years. Anyway here are a few goodies that come by very rarely here in the USA.

Copaxa medea 112mm Pachincha, ECUADOR Apr. 2001

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and Arsenura richardsoni Oaxaca, MEXICO July.1991 114mm

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and Copaxa sapatoza 66mm Melgar, COLUMBIA July.2005

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and finally,

Gonimbrasia tyrrhea 114mm N. mikese, TANZANIA May.1987

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[Deleted]

Bill, Gonimbrasia tyrrhea is rather common as of nowadays. There is even livestock available from time to time. At least in here. I have a few ex pupae pairs.

Also Copaxa medea has appeared more and more often for sale on ebay, etc.

I wouldn't call most of those as rarities, but rather of uncommon.

[bobw]

That's right, livestock of G. tyrrhea is nearly always available - I've reared it a couple of times. Livestock of C. medea has also been around for the last couple of years.

Bob