Isognathus excelsior

Isognathus excelsior
(Boisduval, [1875]) Anceryx

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: excelsior (Boisduval, [1875])

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DISTRIBUTION:

Isognathus rimosus excelsior (Wing span: , females larger than males), flies in South America, from Venezuela and Brazil to Guyana.

FLIGHT TIMES:

There are probably several flights throughout the year.

Isognathus excelsior, Benjamin Constant, Brasil, courtesy of Frederik Goussey.

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.

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

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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