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Updated as per
AN ANNOTATED CHECKLIST OF THE SPHINGIDAE OF BOLIVIA, October 2007 Updated as per http://www.pybio.org/MACROGLOSSINAE.htm (Paraguay), October 2007 Updated as per L.O.L.A. publication Hawkmoths of Argentina, More, Kitching and Cocucci, 2005, November 2007 Updated as per Bilogical Diversity in Belize, November 2007 Updated as per The Known Sphingidae of Costa Rica, October 2007 Updated as per personal communication with Ezequiel Bustos (Aguas Blancas, Salta, Argentina, 405m); December 2009 Updated as per personal communication with Patrick Demez (Ica, Peru, January 23, 2010); February 3, 2010 Updated as per personal communication with David Morimoto (Starbroek market area, Georgetown, Guyana, January 17, 2011); February 1, 2011 Updated as per personal communication with Brian Fletcher (Urraca Lodge, Jorupe Reserve, Loja, Ecuador, January 30, 2014, 500m); March 12, 2014 Updated as per personal communication with Sergio D. Ríos Díaz in CATÁLOGO DE LOS SPHINGIDAE (INSECTA: LEPIDOPTERA) DEPOSITADOS EN EL MUSEO NACIONAL DE HISTORIA NATURAL DEL PARAGUAY; sent to me in July 2014 by Sergio D. Ríos Díaz. Updated as per personal communication with Joanna Rodriguez Ramirez (Entre Rios; Argentina), January 21, 2015 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 Magno Marcio Nascimento (Matões Maranhao, April 2, 2016); April 3, 2016 Updated as per personal communication with Andre Netto (Meruoca, Ceara, Brazil, March 7, 2018), March 9, 2018 Updated as per personal communication with Francierlem Olveira (Extremoz, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, August 23, 2016), May 18, 2018 Updated as per personal communication with Erica Regina (Tucuruí, Para, Brazil, January 14, 2019); January 15, 2019 Updated as per personal communication with Paulo Renato Huppes (Gravatai, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, June 2, 2019); June 3, 2019 |
This site has been created by Bill Oehlke.
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.
TAXONOMY:Superfamily: Sphingoidea, Dyar, 1902 |
Argentina: Buenos Aires (Dec.), Cordoba,
Formosa, La Rioja, Sante Fe (Sept.), Formosa, Rio Negro, La Rioja, Chaco (EB), Tucuman, Salta (405m EB); Entre Rios (JRR);
Bolivia: Santa Cruz: Ichilo, Buena Vista, Florida, Pampa Grande,
Sarah, Warnes (350-750m);
Brazil; Para: Tucurui (ER); Maranhao (MMN); Ceara: Meruoca (AN); Goias: Aruana (KR); Rio Grande do Norte: Extremoz (FO); Gravatai, Rio Grande do Sul (PRH);
Colombia;
Ecuador: Loja (BF);
Peru: Ica (PD);
French Guiana: Starbroek market area, Georgetown;
Guyana;
Paraguay: Alto Paraguay, Boqueron, Presidente Hayes,
Asuncion, Concepcion, Amambay, San Pedro, Canindeyu, Cordillera, Central, Guaira,
Caaguazu, Paraguari;
Suriname;
Uruguay;
Venezuela.
Mexico: Yucatan: Chichen Itza (Ernesto Alvarado Reyes); and elsewhere;
Belize: Corozol, Cayo, Stann Creek, Toledo;
Guatemala: Izabal (JM);
Honduras: Atlantida, Cortes, Francisco-Morazan;
Nicaragua: Madriz, Esteli, Matagalpa, Chinandega, Leon,
Managua, Granada, Zelaya, Rio San Juan;
Costa Rica: Guanacaste, Puntarenas, Limon,
Heredia, Alajuela, Cartago, San Jose;
Panama.
This species also flies throughout the Carribean. It is subspecies hesperidum that flies in Jamaica.
The upperside of the moth is dark pinkish brown. Each forewing has a lighter brown band along the costa, and sharp pinkish white bands and streaks. The hindwing has a pink patch on the inner margin, but lacks the pink along the outer margin, distinguishing it from fasciata.Note the large brown "parallelogram" between lowest of three striga upwards toward the transverse lines. In E. fasciatus this same area is very small, almost non-existent. Eumorpha vitis vitis in typical resting pose courtesy of James Adams. |
"Eumorpha" means well-formed. The species name "vitis" refers to grape as the larval host.
Sergio Rios Diaz reports March and October flights in Paraguay.
Patrick Demez reports a January flight in southwestern Peru.
Eumorpha vitis, Ica, Peru, January 23, 2010, courtesy of Patrick Demez.
At dusk, adults begin nectaring at various flowers, including rosy periwinkle (Vinca rosea), and perhaps orchids in the tropics.
Eumorpha vitis vitis larvae feed upon grape foliage (Vitis) and other vines (Cissus): Cissus pseudosicyoides and Cissus rhombifolia and Cissus sicycoides.
Eumorpha vitis, Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico,
July 12, courtesy of Jean-Marc Pilliere.
Eumorpha vitis, courtesy of Hubert Mayer copyright.
Visit Eumorpha vitis, Brownsville, Cameron County, Texas, September 27, 2009, courtesy of Gus A. Rentfro.
Visit Eumorpha vitis, Austin, Texas, June 30, 2010, courtesy of Michelle Walden.
Visit Eumorpha vitis, Rollingwood, Travis County, Texas, August 30, 2012, Deborah Wilson.
Visit Eumorpha vitis Matoes, Maranhao, Brazil, April 2, 2016, Magno Marcio Nascimento.
Visit Eumorpha vitis (recto and verso) Extremoz, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, August 23, 2016, Francierlem Oliveira.
Larvae exist as either green, yellow or purple colour morphs and pupate in subterranean burrows. The larva to the right shows damage from tachinid and ichneumonid fly larvae.Note the four-five smooth lateral stripes with the final one widened as opposed to the six segmented stripes on the Achemon Sphinx larva. The head is retracted when the larva senses danger. |
Eumorpha vitis, Austin, Texas, September 19, 2005, courtesy of Melody Lytle.
Eumorpha vitis, October 27, 2005, NABA International Butterfly Garden,
Hidalgo County, Texas, courtesy of John Rosford.
Jim Tuttle, who confirmed the id, writes, "Yes, it is vitis. In satellitia the white panels are completely enclosed in black whereas in vitis the ends of the black panels remain open. Also, satellitia has a faint subdorsal longitudinal stripe that touches the top of the white panels that is lacking in vitis." As a postscript Jim adds, "The host plant is commonly called sorrel vine (Cissus)."
Visit Eumorpha vitis fourth and fifth instars, Converse, Bexar County, November 2008, courtesy of Lisa Tingle.
Cissus incisa | Possum Grape |
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