DISTRIBUTION: Eumorpha labruscae labruscae, (Gaudy Sphinx Moth), flies in America, and although primarily a tropical species, it has been taken as far north as Saskatchewan and Manitoba (Richard Westwood, Dept. of Biology, University of Winnipeg) as a stray. In South America, it is taken at least as far south as Bolivia: Beni, La Paz, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz; Paraguay: Alto Paraguay, Boqueron, Presidente Hayes, Concepcion, Canindeyu, Central, Cordillera, Caaguazu, Alto Parana, Guaira, Paraguari, (possibly Misiones and Itapua (WO??)); Argentina: Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Corrientes, Entre Rios, Misiones, Tucuman. See larval images from Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil: probably everywhere. Eumorpha labruscae, February, Everglades, Florida, courtesy of Werner Bollmann, Naturfotografie.

It is also found throughout Central America:
Mexico;
Belize: Corozol, Cayo, Stan Creek, Toledo;
Guatemala;
Honduras: Atlantida;
Nicaragua: Masaya, Granada, Isla de Ometepe, Zelaya, Rio San Juan;
Costa Rica: Guanacaste, Limon, Alajuela, Punatarenas, San Jose, Heredia;
Panama. In South America it also flies in
Uruguay;
Colombia;
Ecuador: Morona-Santiago (Nueva Tarqui);
Peru.

With very strong migrating tendencies this moth can probably be found just about anywhere.

Eumorpha labruscae, December 29, 2007, Plant City, Hillsborough County, Florida,
courtesy of Marc and Kurtis Cook.

"Eumorpha" means well-formed. The species name "labruscae" comes from the name for wild grape, one of the larval hosts.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Eumorpha labruscae labruscae adults are on the wing from.

Adults nectar at various flowers including Asystasia gangetica at dusk.

Eumorpha labruscae male, courtesy of Hubert Mayer copyright.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Pupae wiggle to surface just prior to eclosion. Females call at night, and males (below) fly into the wind to pick up and track the pheromone plume.

Eumorpha labruscae labruscae male courtesy of Dan Janzen.

Eumorpha labruscae labruscae female courtesy of Dan Janzen.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Eumorpha labruscae labruscae larva courtesy of Dan Janzen.

In Florida larvae have been found on Possum Vine (Cissus sicyoides).

Cissus incisa, Cissus verticillata, Eupatorium odoratum, Ludwigia, Magnolia, Parthenocissus and Vitis vinifera are all reported hosts.

In Costa Rica, Dan Janzen reports larvae on Cissus pseudosicyoides and Cissus alata. There is a striking resemblance to a snake's head and eye, and a flattening of the thoracic segments when the head is not retracted.

Dan Janzen images.

The pupa is reddish brown like Manduca occulta and has a distinctive dark elongate spot in the middle of each wing cover.

Those who first published descriptions and assigned scientific names to many insects, simply chose names of biblical or mythological origin without any real descriptive qualities. Their purpose was simply to set a standard for purposes of identification by assigned name. On some occasions, names, mostly of Latin or Greek origin, were chosen to signify a particular character of the genus or of an individual species.

The genus name "Eumorpha" means well-formed.

The species name, "labruscae", might refer to a larval host, Vitis labruscae, the Fox Grape.

The pronunciation of scientific names is troublesome for many. The "suggestion" at the top of the page is merely a suggestion. It is based on commonly accepted English pronunciation of Greek names and/or some fairly well accepted "rules" for latinized scientific names.

The suggested pronunciations, on this page and on other pages, are primarily put forward to assist those who hear with internal ears as they read.

There are many collectors from different countries whose intonations and accents would be different.

Visit Eumorpha labruscae by Jean Haxaire.

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Eumorpha labruscae, South Florida, courtesy of Alan Chin-Lee.