Euproserpinus phaeton Mexico, courtesy of Manuel Balcazar-Lara.

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: Macroglossini, Harris, 1839 Genus: Euproserpinus Grote & Robinson, 1865........... Species: phaeton Grote & Robinson, 1865

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DISTRIBUTION:

The Phaeton Primrose Sphinx, Euproserpinus phaeton, [wingspan: 1 1/4 - 1 5/8 inches (3.2 - 4.2 cm)], flies in Nevada and California (specimen type locality) south to Baja California Sur and into Mexico.

The upperside of the forewing is gray with dark gray-brown at the outer margin and base. The median portion of wing may be dark or pale and has only a few dark gray lines. The upperside of the hindwing is white with a sharp black outer margin. Euproserpinus phaeton San Benito County, California, Pinnacles National Monument, March 18, 2004, Paul Johnson; NPS photo

Macroglossa erato, Boisduval, 1868, California, is the same as Euproserpinus phaeton.
mojave, Comstock, 1938, California, is the same as Euproserpinus phaeton.

Euproserpinus phaeton, Plum Canyon, ABDSP, 3 March 2005,
courtesy of Lynn & Gene Monroe, Granite Ridge Nature Institute.

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.

I do not know the origin of "Euproserpinus", but the species name "phaeton" comes from the son of Helios and Clymene. Phaeton wanted to drive his father's chariot, pulling the sun across the sky. He could not steer it properly and was killed by a thunderbolt from Zeus before Phaeton could scorch the earth.

FLIGHT TIMES:

Euproserpinus phaeton adults fly swiftly and close to the ground over dry washes and flat areas in deserts as a single brood from February-April. Adults nectar at flowers during the warm parts of the day.

ECLOSION:

Moths probably wiggle free from pupae in flimsy cocoons amongst surface litter.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Females call in the males with a pheromone released from a gland at the tip of the abdomen.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE: Females deposit eggs singly or in pairs on the underside of host leaves. Larvae feed on various plants in the primrose family (Onagraceae). Below are images of a larva and pupa courtesy of Lynn and Gene Monroe, Granite Ridge Nature Institute, Lyons, Colorado. This larva is from DiGiorgio Road, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, San Diego County, California. The picture was taken on March 5, 2003. The larva is feeding on Oenothera deltoides and pupated on March 6. Euproserpinus phaeton eating Dune Evening Primrose. Note the small "horn." Borrego Springs, CA , 5 March 2003, courtesy of Lynn & Gene Monroe, Granite Ridge Nature Institute. Use your browser "Back" button to return to the previous page. Goto Main Sphingidae Index Goto Macroglossini Tribe Goto Central American Indices Goto Carribean Islands Goto South American Indices Goto U.S.A. tables