DISTRIBUTION:

Monarda oryx flies in Mexico. Jean Haxaire was lucky enough to get eggs, larvae and pupae of this rare and incredible insect and resolve the mystery of its first instars together with its food plant.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Monarda oryx adults (wingspan: males: 73mm; females: larger) are on the wing in July.

Monarda oryx larvae feed upon Ipomoea stans in the Convolvulaceae family.

Monarda oryx, Mexico, courtesy of Manuel Balcazar-Lara.

Monarda oryx male, 73mm, Mexico,
courtesy of Jean Haxaire.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Monarda oryx female, Mexico, courtesy of Jean Haxaire.

Monarda oryx female (verso), Mexico, courtesy of Jean Haxaire.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Monarda oryx, Jalisco, Mexico, courtesy of Jean Haxaire copyright.

Monarda oryx, Jalisco, Mexico, courtesy of Jean Haxaire copyright.

Larval Food Plants

Listed below are primary food plant(s) and alternate food plants. It is hoped that this alphabetical listing followed by the common name of the foodplant will prove useful. The list is not exhaustive. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile.

Ipomoea stans (info from Jean Haxaire) ......

Tumbavaquero

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