Erinnyis alope male courtesy of Dan Janzen.

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke at oehlkew@islandtelecom.com
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

TAXONOMY: Family: Sphingidae, Latreille, 1802 Subfamily: Macroglossinae, Harris, 1839 Tribe: Dilophonotini, Burmeister, 1878 Genus: Erinnyis Hubner, [1819] ........... Species: alope Drury, 1770

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DISTRIBUTION:

The Alope Sphinx Moth, Erinnyis alope (Wing span: 3 1/4 - 3 15/16 inches (8.2 - 10 cm)), flies from northern Argentina and Uruguay north through Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies to south Florida, South Texas, southern New Mexico, and southern Arizona. This species has strayed to Arkansas and Kansas and further north and east. Jamaica is the specimen type locality.

The upperside of the forewing is dark brown with short yellowish streaks on the forward half and wavy yellowish bands on the rear half. The upperside of the hindwing is bright yellow with a wide dark brown border. The body is streamlined and checkered. Erinnyis alope, Yasuni, Ecuador, September 7, 2002 - 2:06 AM, courtesy of Steve Graser.

FLIGHT TIMES:

Erinnyis alope broods continuously in the tropics and in south Florida.

Adults nectar at flowers and have been reported hovering over flowers of Asystasia gangetica at dusk.

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose from pupae formed in loose cocoons spun among surface litter.

Erinnyis alope 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 papaya (Carica papaya), nettlespurge (Jatropha), and allamanda (Allamanda).

Erinnyis alope dark form courtesy of Dan Janzen.

Erinnyis alope dorsal view courtesy of Dan Janzen.

Erinnyis alope green form courtesy of Dan Janzen.

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