It was late afternoon sitting in the 26th floor Villa Angsana apartment in Kuala Lumpur, when it appeared to be a large piece of paper float past me in the strong breeze coming through the open French windows.

It soon became apparent that it was not a piece of paper but a moth, and a large one at that.

I had a mixture of shock, fear and amazement at the size a beauty of this moth.

It rested a while, then flew of again.


Lyssa zampa, a moth from Malaysia

Lyssa zampa (Butler, 1869), from in the family Uraniidae (subfamily Uraniinae). It's colour can vary gray to brown depending on the light. It is one of the largest moths in the Malaysian Peninsular, the largest being the Atlas Moth. The wingspan can be 100-160 mm., and flies from June to August depending on the location. Commonly found in primary forests or secondary growth.