Perigonia ilus

Updated as per AN ANNOTATED CHECKLIST OF THE SPHINGIDAE OF BOLIVIA, October 2007
Updated as per http://www.pybio.org/MACROGLOSSINAE.htm (Paraguay), October 2007
Updated as per More, Kitching and Cocucci's Hawkmoths of Argentina 2005, October, 2007
Upfated as per personal communication with Ezequiel Osvaldo Núñez Bustos (Argentina), Ocotber 2007

DISTRIBUTION:

Perigonia ilus (wingspan: 54-58mm), moths fly in Honduras, the specimen type locality, and in Costa Rica and Belize.

Eurides Furtado reports them from Mato Grosso, Brazil. They fly as far south as southern Uruguay.

Perigonia ilus, Mato Grosso, Brazil, courtesy of Eurides Furtado.

Mexico:
Belize: Corozol, Orange Walk, Cayo, Toledo;
Guatemala;
Honduras;
El Salvador;
Nicaragua;
Costa Rica;
Panama;
Colombia;
Venezuela: Aragua, Bolivar, Carabobo, Distrito Federal, Lara, Miranda, Monagas, Yaracuy;
Ecuador;
Peru;
Bolivia: La Paz, Santa Cruz;
Argentina: Misiones;
Paraguay: Alto Paraguay, Boqueron, Presidente Hayes, Concepcion, San Pedro, Canindeyu, Alto Parana, Cordillera, Central, Caazuagu. Paraguari, Guaira, (probably Caazapa, Itapua (WO??));
Brazil: Mato Grosso; and
Uruguay; at elevations form sea level to at least 1600m.

"Until recently, both P. ilus and P. passerina were treated as two of the many forms of the variable P. lusca. However, both are now recognized as species. P. ilus can be easily distinguished from the other two by the pale yellow anal patch on the hindwing underside (greyish-buff in P. l. lusca and P. passerina)." AN ANNOTATED CHECKLIST OF THE SPHINGIDAE OF BOLIVIA

Visit Perigonia ilus, Misiones, Argentina.

ECLOSION:

Moths emerge from pupae in shallow underground chambers.

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.
Here is a "pair that came to the house light in copulation. Note that she is old and worn, and he is very new and fresh.
It was very hard to separate them without tearing abdomens, even when newly killed and relaxed.
When they were flying, both had their wings going frantically."
Image and information courtesy of Dan Janzen

Perigonia ilus female courtesy of Dan Janzen.

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE:

Larvae have a yellow tail horn, a green body and a dark blue stripe down the back. There are several color morphs. Larvae feed on Calycophyllum candidissimum and Guettarda macrosperma of the Rubiaceae family.

Ezequiel Bustos writes, "This is one of the most common species in Misiones province, Argentina, especially because the larvae feed in the Ilex paraguariensis plantations (yerba mate), the national drink of Argentina."

Ilex paraguariensis is a species of holly (family Aquifoliaceae) native to subtropical South America. People steep the dry leaves (and twigs) in hot water, rather than boiling water. The beverage is a slightly less potent stimulant than coffee and it is much gentler on the stomach.