Sphinx luscitiosa
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Sphinx luscitiosa , male |
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| Clemens , 1859 |
Sphinx Luscitiosa is a butterfly ( moth ) from the family of moth (Sphingidae). The species colonizes large parts of northern North America.
features
The moths have a fore wing length of 26 to 37 millimeters. Sphinx luscitiosa is the hawkmoth species in North America with the greatest differences between males and females ( sexual dimorphism ). The forewings are yellowish gray on the upper side of the males and pale gray with a faint yellow sheen in the females. The black band on the outer edge becomes wider towards the inner edge. The hind wings of the males are bright yellow on top, while the females are pale yellow. In both sexes, the hind wings have a broad, black border. The yellow hind wings are a clear distinguishing feature of the male. In females, the color of the hind wings is not always reliable as the females of Sphinx gordius and Sphinx poecila are similar. In Sphinx luscitiosa females , however, the anterior medial line on the hind wings is often only weakly developed on the upper side and is absent on the lower side. Males are hardly variable either geographically or within a population. In the females the dark pattern of the forewings and the width of the dark marginal band of the hind wings are variable.
The caterpillars have seven pairs of oblique, white side stripes, which are bordered purple towards the back. The anal horn is black dorsally and yellowish green ventrally. The thorax and the body area below the spiracles are strongly dotted with white.
The doll is matt black and has a slightly rough surface. The very short proboscis sheath is exposed and slightly curved away from the body, as is the case with Sphinx sequoiae . The long cremaster is narrow and ends in a double point.
Occurrence
Sphinx luscitiosa colonizes large parts of northern North America. In the northeastern United States, the species is distributed south to New Jersey and over the Great Lakes to the northern states of the Great Plains . There are isolated occurrences in St. Louis , Missouri and north-central Nebraska in Cherry County . There is further evidence from the Rocky Mountains of northern Utah and from Arapahoe County in Colorado. In addition to the common occurrences in northern Michigan, the species is most common in Canada. There it is distributed from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, southern Québec, large parts of Ontario, southern Manitoba, north to at least Barrhead in Alberta and in Northwest Territory even further north to Yellowknife . There is one record of the species on the Yukon River in the Yukon Territory , from Fort Resolution on the shores of Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territory and from central Alaska.
Sphinx luscitiosa inhabits boreal forests where willow family (Salicaceae) are common. In the west of its range, the species is tied to rivers.
Way of life
The moths hatch in the late afternoon and become active on the same day. Unlike the males, the females regularly fly to light sources. The animals have been detected during twilight when they visit the honeysuckle ( Lonicera ), the common lilac ( Syringa vulgaris ) and the common milkweed ( Asclepias syriaca ). There is also evidence of daytime flower visits on Elaeagnus angustifolia and dandelion ( Taraxacum ).
Flight and caterpillar times
The moths fly in one generation from early June to mid-July.
Food of the caterpillars
The caterpillars mostly feed on willows ( Salix ), poplars ( Populus ) and birches ( Betula ). They are also found on rosemary heather ( Andromeda polifolia ), blueberries ( Vaccinium ), Myrica and Ilex glabra .
development
The females lay their eggs on both sides of the leaves of the host plants in the early evening. The caterpillars are loners. They pupate several centimeters deep in a chamber in the ground.
supporting documents
Individual evidence
- ↑ Sphingidae of the Americas. Bill Oehlke, accessed December 30, 2011 .
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i James P. Tuttle: The Hawkmoths of North America, A Natural History Study of the Sphingidae of the United States and Canada. The Wedge Entomological Research Foundation, Washington, DC 2007, ISBN 978-0-9796633-0-7 .
literature
- James P. Tuttle: The Hawkmoths of North America, A Natural History Study of the Sphingidae of the United States and Canada. The Wedge Entomological Research Foundation, Washington, DC 2007, ISBN 978-0-9796633-0-7 .
