Hemeroplanes triptolemus

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TAXONOMY: Family: Sphingidae Latreille, 1802 Subfamily: Macroglossinae Harris, 1839 Tribe: Dilophonotini Burmeister, 1878 Genus: Hemeroplanes Hubner, [1819]........... Species: triptolemus Cramer, 1779

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DISTRIBUTION:

Hemeroplanes triptolemus (forewing length = 34mm) flies in Surinam (specimen type locality) and westward to Peru.

Specimens are taken from 900-2000 meters above sea level in Peru.

It is recorded in Costa Rica, Belize, Mexico, Guatemala and probably flies throughout Central America into Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela and Guyana.

Hemeroplanes triptolemus male, courtesy of Dan Janzen.

In Greek mythology, Triptolemus received seeds and a chariot pulled by winged dragons from Demeter. He flew through the sky and sowed the entire inhabited earth.

I believe the genus name comes from the Greek "Hemero" = everyday life and "planes" = rhealm.

FLIGHT TIMES:

There are at least two generations annually with peak flights in January-February and again in June-July.

ECLOSION:

SCENTING AND MATING:

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

Females seem most active between 11:30 pm and 2:30 am while males are most active from 12:30-3:00 am.

Hemeroplanes triptolemus female, courtesy of Dan Janzen.

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE: There are both green (early instars) and brown (final instar) larval forms. The caterpillar can "flare" its anterior body segments, giving it a snake's head appearance. Larvae feed on Mesechites trifida. To the right you are looking at ventral surface (underside) of an Hemeroplanes triptolemus larva from Mamiraua Reserve, Amazonas, Brazil, courtesy of Pablo from Mexico who submitted to What's That Bug?. The image was sent to me with permission to post by What's That Bug? moderator Daniel Marlos.

Hemeroplanes triptolemus underside.

Moths emerge in three weeks from black pupae formed in flimsy silken cocoons spunup amongst leaf litter. The pupa is smooth and shiny.

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