Manduca dalica dalica male 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: Sphinginae, Latreille, [1802] Tribe: Sphingini, Latreille, 1802 Genus: Manduca Hubner, [1807] ........... Species: dalica dalica (Kirby, 1877)

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DISTRIBUTION:

Manduca dalica dalica (wingspan: 110-120-135 mm, males smaller than females) flies in
Peru;
Bolivia (La Paz: Murillo, Río Zongo, 750m);
Venezuela;
Guyana;
Suriname;
French Guiana: Gamboa; Saul;
Ecuador and
Costa Rica: Alajuela, Lemon, Heredia, Guanacaste, San Jose.

By interpolation it should also be found in Panama and Colombia.

The forewing ground color is dark with some purplish-brown, especially in the median and subterminal areas. The thin, black, very irregular am line is inwardly traced in white, and there is additional white along the forewing bases and across the junction of the thorax and abdomen, with a very thin white line across the head behind the eyes. The discal spot is large and very white, connected by a white triangular patch to a suffusion on the costal margin. There is also a whitish-grey apical patch, and a small, inconspicuous whitish mark slightly anterior to the anal angle.

In subspecies Manduca dalica anthina, the apical mark is surrounded by black and white mottling that extends along the outer margin. This mottling is absent in the nominate species.

FLIGHT TIMES:

Manduca dalica dalica adults have been taken in February and every month from April until October in Costa Rica. There are probably three broods annually.

ECLOSION:

Pupae probably wiggle to surface from subterranean chambers just prior to eclosion.

Manduca dalica dalica female courtesy of Dan Janzen.

SCENTING AND MATING:

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

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE:

Larvae feed on

Moths emerge about one month after pupation. The larvae lies on its back, in typical Manduca fashion, while pupating.

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