Isognathus leachii
(Swainson, 1823)

Isognathus leachii Pair: male: 85 mm; female 94: mm,
Reserva Vale da Solidão, 14o22’S 56o07’W, 450 m, Diamantino, Mato Grosso, Brazil,
courtesy of Eurides Furtado.

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: Isognathus G. Felder & R. Felder, 1862 ...........
Species: leachii Swainson, 1823

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DISTRIBUTION:

Isognathus leachii (Wing span: males: 85mm; females: 94mm), flies from southern southern Panama (based on larval image), and from Venezuela to Brazil to Bolivia with Brazil given as the specimen type locality.

FLIGHT TIMES:

There are probably several flights throughout the year.

Isognathus leachi, Mogue, Darien, Panama, August 25, 2007,
courtesy of Dr. Arthur Anker, STRI.

ECLOSION:

Moths emerge from pupae in thin-walled cocoons under leaf litter within 8-24 days of pupation.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Females call in the males with a pheromone released from a gland at the tip of the abdomen. Adults nectar at flowers, including petunia.

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE:

Females probably lay eggs on leaves of Apocynacea. Allamanda cathartica and Allamanda blancheti have been reported as hosts.

Larvae have long tails; colouration suggests they are unpalatable to birds.

Fourth and fifth instars, southern Venezuela, courtesy of Maurizio G. Paoletti,
confirmed by Jean Haxaire.

Jean wrote, "This larva was for sure on an Apocynaceae, probably a Plumiera sp. The leaves looks like such a plant."

The pupae are also quite colourful, and, I suspect, are very lively. Moths generaly emerge witin 8-24 days of pupation.

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