Enyo lugubris lugubris female 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: Enyo Hubner, [1819] ........... Species: lugubris lugubris (Linnaeus, 1771)

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DISTRIBUTION:

The Mournful Sphinx Moth, Enyo lugubris lugubris (Wing span: 2 - 2 3/8 inches (5 - 6 cm)), flies in
Argentina: Buenos Aires, Chaco, Formosa, La Rioja, Misiones, Salta, Tucuman; and
Paraguay: Alto Paraguay, Boqueron, Presidente Hayes, Concepcion, Amambay, (probably San Pedro (WO?)), Canindeyu, Alto Parana, Cordillera, Central, Caaguazu, Guaira, Paraguari, (probably Caazapa, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu (WO??):
Uruguay;
Venezuela: Apure, Aragua, Bolivar, Guarico, Lara, Portuguesa;
Guyana: Morawhanna;
Surinam;
French Guiana;
Colombia;
Ecuador;
Peru: Junin;
Brazil;
the West Indies, and
Mexico;
Belize: Corozol, Orange Walk, Cayo, Toledo;
Guatemala;
Honduras;
El Salvador;
Nicaragua;
Costa Rica; and
Panama at elevations from sea level to at least 2700m.

In the United States the moth has been taken from Arizona east to Florida and north to South Carolina. Strays sometimes appear in Arkansas and as far north as Illinois, Michigan and New York. Antigua is the specimen type locality.

Visit Stepanie Sanchez's Enyo lugubris images from southern Florida.

Visit Enyo lugubris, Islamorada, Monroe Co., Florida, December 22, 2008, Shelby Heeter.

Enyo lugubris lugubris, Tyler, Smith County, northeastern Texas,
November 7, 2007, courtesy of Justin & Valerie Valleau.

In Bolivia, the species has been recorded in "Santa Cruz: Andrés Ibáñez; Ichilo, El Chore; Florida, Pampa Grande; La Paz: Murillo, Zongo Cuticucho; Cota Cota; Beni: José Ballivián, Estación Biológica del Beni; La Paz: Murillo, La Paz; Larecaja, San Agustín, Mapiri, 3500'; Santa Cruz: Sarah, 450m; German Bush, Puerto Suárez, 150m; "Cuatro ojos"; Andrés Ibáñez, Santa Cruz; Beni: "Lower Mamoré"." Haxaire

Visit Enyo lugubris, male and female, live and spread, Coviriali, Junin, Peru, 662m, January 10 and February 9, 2008, courtesy of Vladimir Izersky.

The body and wings are dark brown. The forewing has a large black patch covering most of the outer half of the wing. There is a pale tan cell spot (dark inner pupil), and a fairly straight median line to the inside of the cell spot. Sphinx fegeus Cramer, 1780, Surinam, is same as Enyo lugubris lugubris. Epistor luctuosa Boisduval, [1875], Brazil, is same as Enyo lugubris lugubris. ab. Epistor rufa Silva, 1934, Brazil, is same as Enyo lugubris lugubris. Enyo lugubris lugubris, Yasuni, Ecuador, September 10, 2002 - 10:28 PM, courtesy of Steve Graser.

Visit Enyo lugubris, Misiones, Argentina.

Enyo lugubris, Anna Maria Island, Florida, November 20, 2006, courtesy of Juergen Lachmann.

FLIGHT TIMES:

Enyo lugubris lugubris broods continuously in the tropics, south Florida, and Louisiana. Moths are on the wing from August-November in more northern locales.

In Bolivia there are records for January, March, and June-December.

Vladimir Izersky reports them on the wing in January-February in Peru.

Enyo lugubris, Miami Dade County, Florida, December 10, 2004, courtesy of Lisa D. Anness.

Visit Enyo lugubris adult, October 20, 2007,
Grey Forest, Texas, courtesy of Mike van Buskirk.

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose from pupae formed in loose cocoons in shallow underground burrows.

Enyo lugubris lugubris male (dark phase) courtesy of Vernon Brou.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Females call in the males with a pheromone released from a gland at the tip of the abdomen. Both males and females nectar at flowers during the day, making a strong whirring sound as they hover. In Florida they have been reported hovering over flowers of Asystasia gangetica at dusk.

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE:

Larvae probably feed on Vitus tiliifolia and other members of the Vitaceae family: Vitis, Cissus, Ampelopsis. In Florida larvae have been reported on larvae on Possum Vine (Cissus sicyoides) and Pepper Vine (Ampelopsis arborea).

The "horn" is very long in early instars and head is relatively large. As the larva matures, the body develops rapidly, leaving the head relatively small and the "horn" relatively short.

Enyo lugubris lugubris male (light phase) courtesy of Vernon Brou.

Enyo lugubris lugubris female (light phase) courtesy of Vernon Brou.

Enyo lugubris lugubris female (dark phase) courtesy of Vernon Brou.

Enyo lugubris, first instar, Boca Raton, Florida, courtesy of Alan Chin-Lee.

Enyo lugubris, fourth instar, Boca Raton, Florida, courtesy of Alan Chin-Lee.

Enyo lugubris, fifth instar, Boca Raton, Florida, courtesy of Alan Chin-Lee.

Enyo lugubris, pupa, Boca Raton, Florida, courtesy of Alan Chin-Lee.

Enyo lugubris, Boca Raton, Florida, courtesy of Alan Chin-Lee.

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