"Females tend to fly during late afternoon and lay their eggs on Randia species. They can be seen again at dusk with the males nectaring from plants such as Lantana camara. Whilst out searching, I have seen eggs being laid, and I collected a few. As I've reared this species from eggs, I discovered that the larvae pass through seven instars. This is the first time I've seen this in any Sphingidae larvae. As a result, instars are short and only last a couple of days at most. I also noticed that in the last instar the larva uses an interesting defense mechanism, it rears its head back, inflates the top of its prolegs to create false eyes and face, which must deter predators.

"An egg laid on the 28th Nov. took three days to hatch, I reared the larva which pupated by the 10th Dec., which hatched as an adult male on the 26th Dec.

"Note. Not all the photos are of the same larva."

The inflated prolegs might also resemble the fangs and swollen venom sacks of a snake. (Bill Oehlke)

Aellops clavipes egg, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico,
courtesy of Ben Trott.

Aellops clavipes first instar, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico,
courtesy of Ben Trott.

Aellops clavipes second instar, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico,
courtesy of Ben Trott.

Aellops clavipes third instar, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico,
courtesy of Ben Trott.

Aellops clavipes fourth instar, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico,
courtesy of Ben Trott.

Aellops clavipes fifth instar, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico,
courtesy of Ben Trott.

Aellops clavipes sixth instar, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico,
courtesy of Ben Trott.

Aellops clavipes feeding, damage and evidence, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico,
courtesy of Ben Trott.

Aellops clavipes seventh instar, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico,
courtesy of Ben Trott.

Aellops clavipes seventh instar (defensive posture), Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico,
courtesy of Ben Trott.

Aellops clavipes pupa, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico,
courtesy of Ben Trott.

Aellops clavipes male, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico,
courtesy of Ben Trott.

Randia Rhagocarpa

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