Amphimoea walkeri from Rancho Grande, H. Pittier National Park, Venezuela
courtesy of Paolo Mazzei.

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

TAXONOMY: Family: Sphingidae, Latreille, 1802 Subfamily: Sphinginae, Latreille, [1802] Tribe: Sphingini, Latreille, 1802 Genus: Amphimoea Rothschild & Jordan, 1903 ........... Species: walkeri (Boisduval, [1875])

DISTRIBUTION:

The Darwin hawkmoth, Amphimoea walkeri, Wingspan: 147-164-180mm, females larger than males], flies in
Mexico;
Belize: Toledo;
Guatemala: Izabal (JM; AFW);
Nicaragua: Chontales, Rio San Juan;
Costa Rica: Lemon, Heredia, Puntarenas, Alajuela, Guanacaste, San Jose, Carthage;
to Brazil: Para: Parauapebas; and
Colombia: Isla, Gorgona; June 1, 2011 (HCM; 180mm+);
Peru: San Martin (HM);
Venezuela: Amazonas, Aragua, Carabobo, Miranda;
Suriname BOLD;
French Guiana BOLD
Bolivia: Santa Cruz: Ichilo, La Víbora;
Argentina: Misiones.

I would not be surprised if it also flies in southeastern Paraguay: (Itapua (WO??)).

Guyana is the specimen type locality. Robert Lehman confirms it in Honduras: Atlantida.

Amphonyx staudingeri Druce, 1888, Panama, is the same as walkeri.
Cocytius magnificus Rothschild, 1904, Guyana, is the same as walkeri.

Amphimoea walkeri male, Quebrado Pelejo, Huallaga, San Martin, Peru,
152mm, July 2006, courtesy of Hubert Mayer copyright.

FLIGHT TIMES:

Amphimoea walkeri adults fly in all months except March in Costa Rica.

In Bolivia they have been recorded in March and June and possibly fly in other months as well. Humberto Calero Mejia reports an early June flight on Isla Gorgona, Cauca, Colombia.

Amphimoea walkeri 160mm, Guatemala: Izabal: near Morales,
July 8, 2005, 2100ft., courtesy of Anna and Frank West.

Adults have the longest insect proboscis (over ten inches long) in the world and nectar from deep-throated flowers while hovering in the air.

ECLOSION:

Pupae probably wiggle to surface from subterranean chambers just prior to eclosion.

Amphimoea walkeri female courtesy of Dan Janzen.
Note shadow of coiled proboscis.

SCENTING AND MATING:

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

Amphimoea walkeri courtesy of Steve Graser,
Yasuni, Ecuador, September 10, 2002 - 11:58 PM.

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE:

Larvae feed on Anaxagorea crassipetala, a lowland rain forest tree of Costa Rica and surrounding areas, and probably other members of the Annonaceae family. Photo by G. Gentry.

Please send sightings/images to Bill. I will do my best to respond to requests for identification help.

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

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