Sphinx perelegans | |
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Adult S. perelegans photographed in Contra Costa County, California | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Sphingidae |
Genus: | Sphinx |
Species: | S. perelegans |
Binomial name | |
Sphinx perelegans Edwards, 1874 | |
Synonyms [2] | |
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Sphinx perelegans, commonly known as the elegant sphinx, is a species of hawkmoth described by Henry Edwards in 1874. It is a large gray moth native to western North America. [2] [3] [4]
It is native to the western coast of North America, from British Columbia in Canada to Baja California Sur in Mexico. [4] In the United States, it can be found in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington. [1]
West of the Cascades, S. perelegans can be found in low elevation brushland and oak woodland, while at higher elevations of the Cascades and the Siskiyou Mountains it inhabits mixed hardwood-conifer forests. It can be found in hardwood-conifer forests and juniper-hardwoord woodlands at middle elevations around the Rocky Mountains and Blue Mountains. [2]
Adult S. perelegans are large moths with a wingspan of 9–11 cm (3.5–4.3 in), each forewing measuring 43–50 mm (1.7–2.0 in) in length. The forewings are dark gray with a diffuse pale gray patch that stretches from the base to the center of the wing and a pale gray line bordering the subterminal margin. The middle of the forewing is marked with several longitudinal black lines. The hindwings are gray to black with white bands, with dark gray and white checkering on the fringes. [2] [4] The antennae are light gray. The thorax and top of the head are dark gray, with lighter gray on the sides of the thorax near the base of the wings and on the sides of the head. The top of the abdomen is dark gray with black and white stripes on each segment. [2]
The eggs are ovoid, glossy green in colour but becoming paler as the egg develops. They are usually laid singly, sometimes in groups of two or three, on the underside of the host plants leaves. Newly hatched larvae are pale yellow larva, measuring up to 5 mm (0.20 in), with a long dark horn. The larvae turn pale green as they feed, ultimately growing to 70–75 mm (2.8–3.0 in) long. As they mature, the larvae develop a series of oblique white stripes edged with purple down their sides, and the horn turns blue. When mature and ready to pupate, the larvae create a sparsely silk lined chamber in the soil up to 10 cm (3.9 in) deep. The pupae are brown and measure 45–47 mm (1.8–1.9 in) long. [3]
Adult S. perelegans are active on the wing from April to September. [4] They are nocturnal and attracted to light. [2] They sometimes feed on the nectar of Oenothera and Rhododendron flowers. [3] [4]
S. perelegans larvae can be found on a wide range of host plants, including species of Arctostaphylos , Prunus , and Symphoricarpos , as well as Arbutus menziesii and Cercocarpus betuloides . [4] In captivity, they also feed on Gaultheria shallon , Arbutus unedo , and some species of Salix . [3]
Ceratomia amyntor, the elm sphinx or four-horned sphinx, is a North American moth in the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by Carl Geyer in 1835. It has a wingspan of 3+1⁄4-4+1⁄2 inches. As the name suggests, the larvae (caterpillars) feed on elm trees (Ulmus), but they can also be found feeding on birch (Betula), basswood (Tilia), and cherry (Prunus). When the caterpillars are ready, they crawl to the bottom of the host tree, where they crawl underneath the soil and pupate and may overwinter underground if late enough into the year. Vegetable growers should be aware of this larvae due to its insatiable appetite. One of these larvae are capable in devouring huge amounts of plant's foliage and even succulent stems.
Psilogramma menephron, the privet hawk moth or large brown hawkmoth, is a member of the family Sphingidae. It was described by Pieter Cramer in 1780. It is usually found in Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, central and southern China, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines. Psilogramma casuarinae from eastern Australia was long treated as a synonym but is now thought to be a distinct species. The introduced population on Hawaii was first thought to be P. menephron, but is Psilogramma increta.
Daphnis nerii, the oleander hawk-moth or army green moth, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. It was described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
Macroglossum insipida, the hermit hummingbird hawkmoth, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. It was described by Arthur Gardiner Butler in 1875.
Thyas coronata is a species of moth of the family Erebidae first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775. It is found from the Indo-Australian tropics of southern China, Taiwan, Japan, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka to Micronesia and the Society Islands.
Eudocima phalonia, the common fruit-piercing moth, is a fruit piercing moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1763 Centuria Insectorum. It is found in large parts of the tropics, mainly in Asia, Africa and Australia but introduced into other areas such as Hawaii, New Zealand and the Society Islands. It is one of major fruit pests in the world.
Eudocima salaminia, the green fruit-piercing moth, is a moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Pieter Cramer in 1777. It is found from India, and across south-east Asia to the Pacific Islands. In Australia it occurs in the Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales. The adult is a fruit piercer.
Daphnis placida is a moth of the family Sphingidae.
Asterivora oleariae is a species of moth in the family Choreutidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found on Stewart Island, Big South Cape Island and The Snares. There is one generation a year on The Snares with adults being on the wing in January and February. Larvae are feed on plants in the Olearia genus.
Serrodes campana is a species of moth of the family Erebidae first described by Achille Guenée in 1852. It is found from the Indo-Australian tropics to eastern Australia, Fiji, Samoa and New Caledonia. It is also present in Japan, Korea and Sri Lanka. The adult is a fruit piercer, but also feeds on flower nectar.
Ischyja manlia is a species of moth of the family Noctuidae first described by Pieter Cramer in 1776. It is found in the Indian subregion, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, China, Okinawa, Sundaland, Sulawesi, Korea, the southern Moluccas, Australia (Queensland) and Palau. Adults pierce the skin of fruit to suck the juice.
Oraesia emarginata is a species of moth of the family Erebidae first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1794. It is found in Australia, New Caledonia, Indonesia, New Guinea, Pakistan, the Philippines, India, Sri Lanka, Sulawesi, Taiwan, China, Japan, Korea and Nepal as well as Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, the Gambia, Uganda, Oman and Yemen.
Pterophorus monospilalis, the white plume moth, is a moth of the family Pterophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and occurs throughout the country. It inhabits native forest, parks and domestic gardens. Larvae are active during the day, are slow moving, and feed exposed. They feed on Araliaceae species as well as on Hedera helix, Meryta sinclairii, and Schefflera digitata. There are several broods in a year. Adult moths are on the wing from November until May and are attracted to light.
Onceropyga anelia is a species of moth in the family Zygaenidae. It is found in Australia in eastern Queensland and the northern parts of eastern New South Wales.
Hydraecia obliqua is a moth in the family Noctuidae first described by Leon F. Harvey in 1876. It is found in western North America, east to the Sierra Nevada in California and the crest of the Cascade Range in Oregon and Washington. It occurs continuously on the coast north to south-western British Columbia, with a disjunct northern population at Terrace, British Columbia. The habitat consists of the riparian zone along creeks and rivers of coastal rainforests, as well as oak savanna, mixed hardwood forests and valley grasslands.
Clemensia albata, the little white lichen moth, is a moth of the family Erebidae. It was described by Alpheus Spring Packard in 1864. It is found in eastern North America, west across boreal Canada to south-eastern British Columbia. The range extends along the Pacific Coast south to Monterey Bay in west-central California. The habitat consists of moist forests, including coastal rainforests, oak woodlands and mixed hardwood forests.
Properigea albimacula is a small to medium-sized moth in the family Noctuidae first described by William Barnes and James Halliday McDunnough in 1912. It is found in the western US on the slopes of Cascades north of Oregon and almost throughout California. The wingspan is about 15 mm. Adults fly during the summer and are most common during July. This species is nocturnal and comes to lights.
Dasychira vagans, the variable tussock moth, is a moth of the family Erebidae. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Newfoundland to southern British Columbia in the north and North Carolina and Utah in the west. The habitat consists of forests, including coastal rainforests, high elevation mixed hardwood-conifer forests, oak woodlands and mixed hardwood forests. The species was first described by William Barnes and James Halliday McDunnough in 1913.
Aseptis fanatica is a moth of the family Noctuidae first described by Tomas Mustelin in 2006. It is found in western North America in Washington, Oregon, California, and Baja California Norte in Mexico. It is found in habitats like brush land and open forest in southern California, mostly at 1000–2000 meters, but occurs at lower elevations farther north.
Physetica homoscia is a species of moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found throughout New Zealand including in the Auckland Islands. This species inhabits places where its host plants are common and this includes costal dune habitat. It lives at a wide range of altitudes from sea-level up to at least 1750 m. The larvae of P. homoscia feed on Ozothamnus leptophyllus and Ozothamnus vauvilliersii. They are very active and drop to the ground when disturbed. Larvae are parasitised by a species of fly. This species pupates in the soil and the pupa life stage lasts for approximately 6 weeks. The adult moths are on the wing from September to June and are attracted to light. The adults of P. homoscia might possibly be confused with Ichneutica moderata however this latter species lacks the small white dots on the forewing veins of P. homoscia. Adults might also be confused with P. temperata but P. homoscia is significantly larger in size.