Manduca sexta paphus by John Vriesi.

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: sexta paphus (Cramer, 1779)

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DISTRIBUTION:

Manduca sexta paphus flies from Surinam (specimen type locality) and Venezuela to Brazil, Argentina; and
Bolivia: Santa Cruz, Ichilo, Buena Vista, Florida, Pampa Grande and La Víbora (450m).

Manduca sexta paphus, Yacutinga Private Reserve, Misiones Province,
(near border between Argentina and Brazil), February, 2008
courtesy/copyright of Ezequiel Osvaldo Núñez Bustos.

FLIGHT TIMES:

Manduca sexta paphus adults from at least April to July in Venezuela. In Bolivia there are records for January, March-April, October-November. Ezequiel Osvaldo Núñez Bustos reports a February flight in Misiones, Argentina.

ECLOSION:

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

SCENTING AND MATING:

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

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE:

Larvae feed on tobacco leaves and are considered pests.

Manduca sexta subspecies from Rio Ceballos in Cordoba Province, Argentina,
courtesy of Nigel Venters.

The larva pictured above is from a relatively small Manduca species. Both Jean Marie Cadiou and Jean Haxaire indicate it is probably one of the Manduca sexta subspecies or a new species.

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