Orecta venedictoffae
Upd Updated as per personal communication with Jim Sogaard, April 19, 2010

Orecta venedictoffae
Cadiou, 1995

Orecta venedictoffae male, Costa Rica, courtesy of Dan Janzen.

Jim Sogaard writes, April 19, 2009,

"I just visited your sphingids site and noticed that while you correctly list Orecta venedictoffae for Ecuador where it was originally encountered, you failed to list it for Costa Rica. That photo (courtesy of Dan Janzen) was taken by yours truly at Estacion Pitilla in Guanacaste Conservation Area of NW Costa Rica about 1998 or so (I have the exact year and approximate date, if you wish). I found it hanging in vegetation along a trail during the day, far from any lights. I did not recognize it for what it was, but lowered it to the ground and photographed it, which photo startled Dan when it came before his eyes months later. I believe this was/is only the second "scientific" record (and a good ways from Ecuador). Also, to my knowledge, it has not been seen again since. There is no Costa Rica voucher specimen, only this photo. I have heard that the area of Ecuador where it was found is (like Guanacaste) also reasonably well sampled, so it is apparently either very rare and/or impervious to lights.

"No one was more surprised by any of this than me!"

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke at oehlkew@islandtelecom.com
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

TAXONOMY:

Superfamily: Sphingoidea, Dyar, 1902
Family: Sphingidae, Latreille, 1802
Subfamily: Sphinginae, Latreille, 1802
Tribe: Smerinthini, Grote & Robinson, 1865
Genus: Orecta, Rothschild & Jordan, 1903
Species: venedictoffae, Cadiou, 1995

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DISTRIBUTION:

Orecta venedictoffae flies in Ecuador and Costa Rica. Apparently it is very rare, or at least it is rarely encountered at lights.

I would also expect it to be in Panama and Colombia in suitable habitat.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Orecta venedictoffae adults are on the wing in mid June or early July" (JS) in Costa Rica, and possibly at other times..

Orecta venedictoffae larval hosts are unknown.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Larval Food Plants


Listed below are primary food plant(s) and alternate food plants. It is hoped that this alphabetical listing followed by the common name of the foodplant will prove useful. The list is not exhaustive. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile.

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