Updated as per personal communication with Ezequiel Bustos (Aguas Blancas, Salta, Argentina, 405m); December 2009
Updated as per More, Kitching and Cocucci's Hawkmoths of Argentina 2005, December 2009
Updated as per AN ANNOTATED CHECKLIST OF THE SPHINGIDAE OF BOLIVIA, December 2009

Pachylia syces syces
(Hübner, [1822] 1816)

Pachylia syces courtesy of 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: Macroglossinae, Harris, 1839
Tribe: Dilophonotini, Burmeister, 1878
Genus: Pachylia Walker, 1856 ...........
Species: syces syces Hubner, 1819

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DISTRIBUTION:

Pachylia syces syces flies from
Mexico:
Belize: Corozol, Cayo;
Honduras, etc. to
Brazil;
Bolivia: Beni, La Paz; and
Argentina: Misiones, Salta (405m EB).

Pachylia syces syces, Costa Rica, courtesy of Dan Janzen.

FLIGHT TIMES:

There are probably several flights throughout the year.

ECLOSION:

Larvae pupate in thin walled cocoons under leaf litter.

SCENTING AND MATING:

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

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE:

Larvae are reported to feed on Ficus microcarpa, Ficus prinoides, Ficus ovalis and Artocarpus integrifolia in Brazil.

In the early instars, larvae greatly resemble Pseudosphinx tetrio or a coral snake. They thrash about when disturbed and also "squeak".

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