Pachylia darceta
Druce, 1881

Pachylia darceta, Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Mato Grosso, Brazil,
August 4, 2007, 71m, courtesy/copyright of Johan van't Bosch.

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: Pachylia Walker, 1856 ........... Species: darceta Druce, 1881

Pachylia darceta male courtesy of John Vriesi.

DISTRIBUTION:

Pachylia darceta (wingspan: 113-125mm) flies in forests in
Panama Chiriqui (specimen type);
Guatemala: Izabal; and rest of Central America
Costa Rica: San Jose, Cartago, etc.;
Colombia: Risaralda (RB);
Peru: Cusco: San Pedro (F&AW);
Venezuela: Amazonas, Bolivar, Tachira; and
Brazil: Mato Grosso; Roraima; Amapa; Amazonas; Para; Rondonia; Bahia (A&FW); Minas Gerais; Santa Catarina;
Bolivia: Beni, La Paz, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz;
Argentina: Missiones (Nunez-Bustos & Rodrigez-Ramirez 2014);
and doubtless in many other South American countries.

Jean haxaire writes, "Remarks: The aspect of the species, thinner, less powerful thorax and flying late at night makes it as a non-typical Pachylia."

Pachylia darceta, Costa-Rica, Tuis-Cartago, courtesy of Frederik Goussey.

The forewing upperside has three thin oblique black lines, two in the basal half of the wing, and the third almost longitudinal, from the upper angle of the discal cell along M3. The black discal spot is prominent.

The hindwing upperside is uniform brown without markings. CATE

Pachylia darceta, Montezuma Lodge, Tatama NP, Risaralda, Colombia,
western slopes, 1400m, courtesy of Robert Behrstock.

Pachylia darceta, Montezuma Lodge, Tatama NP, Risaralda, Colombia,
western slopes, 1400m, courtesy of Robert Behrstock.

FLIGHT TIMES:

There are probably several flights throughout the year. Johan van't Bosch reports an early August - September flight in Mato Grosso, Brazil.

Pachylia darceta, Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Mato Grosso, Brazil,
September 8, 2007, 71m, courtesy/copyright of Johan van't Bosch.

ECLOSION:

Larvae pupate in thin walled cocoons under leaf litter.

Pachylia darceta, Santa Rosa, San Jose, Costa Rica, April 16, 2008, courtesy of Kirby Wolfe.

SCENTING AND MATING:

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

Pachylia darceta, 125mm, Alto Madre de Dios, San Pedro, Cusco, Peru,
November, 2009, 4500ft., courtesy of Anna & Frank West.

Pachylia darceta, 123mm, Tingo Maria, Leoncio Prado Province, Peru,
November, 2016, 2100ft., courtesy of Anna & Frank West.

Pachylia darceta, 122mm, near Satipo, Junin, Peru, Peru,
May, 2015, 1500ft., courtesy of Anna & Frank West.

Pachylia darceta, 113mm, Instituto Uiracu, Camacan, Bahia, Brasil,
September, 2011, 800m, courtesy of Anna & Frank West.

Pachylia darceta, 114mm, Frenza Rancho Grande, Rondonia, Brasil,
September, 1991, courtesy of Anna & Frank West.

Pachylia darceta, 125mm, near Morales, Izabal, Guatemala,
August, 2200ft., courtesy of Anna & Frank West.

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE:

"Host plants: Moraceae (Brosimum alicastrum, Pseudolmedia spuria) and Apocynaceae (Lacmellea panamensis)." Jean Haxaire.

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