Aellopos fadus, Fadus sphinx
Updated as per More, Kitching and Cocucci's Hawkmoths of Argentina 2005, October, 2007
Updated as per All Leps Barcode of Life, October, 2007
Updated as per http://biological-diversity.info/sphingidae.htm (Belize), November 2007
Updated as per Fauna Entomologica De Nicarauga, November 2007
Updated as per The Known Sphingidae of Costa Rica, November 2007
Updated as per personal communication with Jose Monzon (Guatemala); May 2009
Updated as per Sphingidae (Lepidoptera) de Venezuela, Compilado por: Maria Esperanza Chacon; December 2009
Updated as per French Guiana Systematics: Sphingidae; May 15, 2011
Updated as per personal communication with Ann Gordon (Harris Creek, McGregor, McLennan Co., Texas); August 4, 2011
Updated as per personal communication with Ezequiel Bustos (Shilap revta. lepid. 43 (172) diciembre, 2015, 615-631 eISSN 2340-4078 ISSN 0300-5267), January 4, 2016
Updated as per personal communication with Nycolas Lagareiro (Capitolio, Minas Gerais, Brazil, March 28, 2022); March 28, 2022
Updated for Brazil as per Haxaire & Mielke, European Entomologist; October 21, 2019; March 28, 2022
Updated as per personal communication with Anna & Frank West; March 28, 2022
Updated as per Hawk-moths (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) of Trinidad, West Indies: an illustrated and annotated list; Matthew J.W. Cock; April 6, 2022

Aellopos fadus
The Fadus Sphinx

Aellopos fadus male courtesy of Dan Janzen.

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke.
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

TAXONOMY:

Family: Sphingidae, Latreille, 1802
Subfamily: Macroglossinae, Harris, 1839
Tribe: Dilophonotini, Burmeister, 1878
Genus: Aellopos Hubner, [1819] ...........
Species: fadus Cramer, 1776

DISTRIBUTION:

Aellopos fadus, the Fadus Sphinx (Wing span: 2 1/4 - 2 3/4 inches (5.7 - 6 cm)), flies in Tropical rainforest and dry forest in Suriname:(specimen type locality); with records from
Mexico;
Belize: Stann Creek;
Guatemala (JM); Izabal: Morales (AFW);
probably Honduras;
probably Nicaragua: Matagalpa, Rivas, Rio San Juan;
Costa Rica: Guanacaste, Alejuela, Lemon, Puntarenas;
probably Panama: Panama, Darien;
Colombia;
Ecuador: Napo, Morona-Santiago;
Peru;
Bolivia: La Paz;
Argentina: Misiones;
Venezuela: Aragua, Distrito Federal, Falcon, Portuguesa, Sucre;
Trinidad;
Guyana;
Surinam;
French Guiana: Saint-Georges de l'Oyopok;
Brazil: Mato Grosso; Minas Gerais: Capitolio; Roraima; Rondonia (AFW); Amazonas; Para; Maranhao; Pernambuco; Rio de Janeiro; Sao Paulo; Parans; Rio Grande do Sul;
Paraguay;
Uruguay and the West Indies, favouring tropical and subtropical lowlands.

Aellopos fadus 64mm, Frenza Rancho Grande, Rondonia, Brasil,
November, 1991, courtesy of Anna & Frank West

Aellopos fadus 60mm, near Morales, Izabal, Guatemala,
July 2005, 3300ft, courtesy of Anna & Frank West

In the U.S. the moth is found in south Florida, south Texas and Arkansas with occasional strays into Ohio and West Virginia.

Rick Gillmore reports, "A. fadus does not exist in Florida. They are not breeding here in Florida."

This species is easily confused with other Aellopos species and some citings may be in error.

Aellopos fadus, female, Harris Creek, McGregor, McLennan County, Texas,
August 4, 2011, courtesy of Ann Gordon.

Macroglossum annulosum Swainson, 1882, Brazil, is same as Aellopos fadus
Macroglossa annulosum Balteata, Kirtland, 1851, Ohio, is same as Aellopos fadus
Sesia f. flavosignata Closs, 1916, Brazil, is same as Aellopos fadus

The body is brown with a wide white band across the abdomen. The upperside of wings is dark brown; the forewing has two bands of pale spots and lacks a black spot (typical of clavipes) at the end of the cell; the hindwing has a pale patch on the costa and one on the inner margin. Note the double line of white spots in the forewing postmedian area.

Aellopos fadus, female, Harris Creek, McGregor, McLennan County, Texas,
August 4, 2011, courtesy of Ann Gordon.

FLIGHT TIMES:

In Costa Rica moths have been taken in all months except March and September to November. The moth broods continuously in the tropics.

In Texas, Arkansas and Florida there is one flight from September-December.

Nycolas Lagareiro reports a March 27-28 flight in Capitolio, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Aellopos fadus, Capitolio, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
March 28, 2022, courtesy of Nycolas Lagareiro.

Adults nectar on flowers, including Abelia.

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose from pupae formed in shallow subterranean chambers.

Aellopos fadus female courtesy of Dan Janzen.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Females call in the males with a pheromone released from a gland at the tip of the abdomen.

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE:

Larvae feed on various species of the Rubiaceae (madder) family, including Genipa americana and Alibertia edulis. and Randia species.

There are at least two color morphs, a green form and a much darker, reddish-brown form:


Caterpillars pupate in loose cocoons in shallow underground chambers.

Pupae are dark, smooth and shiny, and relatively thin considering the stout appearance of the moth.

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