Pachylia ficus
Fig Sphinx

Pachylia ficus 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: Macroglossinae, Harris, 1839 Tribe: Dilophonotini, Burmeister, 1878 Genus: Pachylia Walker, 1856 ........... Species: ficus Linnaeus, 1758

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DISTRIBUTION:

The Fig sphinx, Pachylia ficus (Wing span: 4 3/4 - 5 1/2 inches (12 - 14 cm)) flies from
Uruguay;
Brazil: Paraiba, Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais;
Bolivia: Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, La Paz;
Argentina: Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Formosa, Jujuy, Salta (EB), Misiones; north through Central America: Panama to Mexico, and the West Indies to Florida, southern Texas, and southern Arizona. It occasionally strays as far north as Indiana and Pennsylvania.

Visit Pachylia ficus, Brownsville, Cameron County, courtesy of Gus A. Rentfro.

Visit Pachylia ficus, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil, November 2009, courtesy of Larry Valentine.

The upperside of the forewing is orangish brown with a paler patch along the costa at the tip. The upperside of the hindwing is orange to orangish brown with a black outer border, a black median band, and a white spot on the outer margin near the body. Pachylia ficus Yasuni, Ecuador, (September 10, 2002 - 11:55 PM) in typical resting pose, courtesy of Steve Graser.

FLIGHT TIMES:

There are several flights throughout the year in the tropics, peninsular Florida, and southern Texas. Johan van't Bosch reports a September flight in Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Mato Grosso, Brazil. Larry Valentine reports a November flight in Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Tony James reports a June flight in Panama.

Ezequiel Bustos reports it from Argentina: Salta (405m).

Alexander von Buldring reports a February flight in Paraiba, Brazil.

Pachylia ficus, Joao Pessoa, Paraiba, Brazil,
40m, February 26, 2009, 8:40pm, coourtesy of Alexander von Buldring.

Adult like to nectar from flowers, including Asystasia gangetica, starting just before sunset.

Pachylia ficus, female, Bonaire, January 28, 2005,
courtesy of Abraham Potappel, via Diane McIntyre.

ECLOSION:

Larvae pupate in thin walled cocoons under leaf litter.

Pachylia ficus 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.

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE: Females feed and lay eggs on fig leaves, especially Strangler Fig (Ficus aurea). Ficus carica, Ficus microcarpa, Ficus religiosa, Ficus pumila, Ficus gamelleira, Ficus prinoides, Ficus pumila and Artocarpus integrifolia are also listed as hosts. Larvae pupate in cocoons spun amongst leaf litter. There are several colour morphs. Image, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, April 2004, courtesy of Lee Snyder.

Pachylia ficus, Pompano Beach, April 12, 2007, courtesy of Chris Marino.
Visit additional Pachylia ficus images by Chris.

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Please send sightings/images to Bill. I will do my best to respond to requests for identification help.

Enjoy some of nature's wonderments: Saturniidae cocoons. Cocoons of the giant silkmoths may be purchased in the fall and winter. Big and beautiful giant silk moths will emerge in spring/summer. Read Actias luna rearing article. Additional online help available.