Stolidoptera tachasara
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 AN ANNOTATED CHECKLIST OF THE SPHINGIDAE OF BOLIVIA, December 2009
Updated as per personal communication with Fernando Calvo, Oaxaca, Mexico; July 5, 2012
Updated as per personal communication with Anna and Frank West, Guatemala: Izabal: near Morales, 75mm, August 2005, 2200ft; April 24, 2022

Stolidoptera tachasara

Stolidoptera tachasara, Oaxaca, Mexico, courtesy of Fernando Calvo.

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: Stolidoptera Rothschild & Jordan, 1903 ...........
Species: tachasara Druce, 1888

DISTRIBUTION:

Stolidoptera tachasara moths (wingspan 75-79-92 mm, females larger than males) fly in
Mexico: Oaxaca (FC);
Guatemala (JM); Izabala: near Morales (A&FW);
Panama;
Costa Rica;
etc., southward into northern South America to
Venezuela and now
as far south as Bolivia: Santa Cruz.
Panama is the specimen type locality.

Stolidoptera tachasara male courtesy of Dan Janzen.

FLIGHT TIMES:

In Costa Rica there are records for all months except March and December.

Stolidoptera tachasara, Trogan Lodge, San Gerardo de Dota, San Jose,
Costa Rica, February 9, 2011, 2420m, courtesy of Gernot Kunz

ECLOSION:

Moths eclose from pupae under leaf litter or in subterranean chambers.


Stolidoptera tachasara 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.

Males come in to lights quite frequently but females are almost never taken that way.

Stolidoptera tachasara, 75mm, near Morales, Izabal, Guatemalae,
August, 2006, 2200ft, courtesy of Anna & Frank West>

The greenish cast frequently turns to dark brown in preserved specimens.

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE:

Larvae feed on Thalia geniculata and probably on other members of the Marantaceae family. Larvae have also been found on Prunus annularis of the Rosaceae family.

Stolidoptera tachasara, Trogan Lodge, San Gerardo de Dota, San Jose,
Costa Rica, February 9, 2011, 2420m, courtesy of
Gernot Kunz

Moths emerge from pupae about four weeks after pupation.

Check back for larval pics courtesy of D. Janzen.

Return to Sphingidae Index
Return to Dilophonotini Tribe

Use your browser "Back" button to return to the previous page.

This page is brought to you by Bill Oehlke and the WLSS. Pages are on space rented from Bizland. If you would like to become a "Patron of the Sphingidae Site", contact Bill.

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

Enjoy one of nature's wonderments: Live Saturniidae (Giant Silkmoth) cocoons.


Show appreciation for this site by clicking on flashing butterfly to the left.
The link will take you to a page with links to many insect sites.