DISTRIBUTON:

Sphingicampa heiligbrodti (wingspan 50-80 mm; males smaller than females) is found in lowland thorn scrub habitats from mid Texas southwards into Mexico.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths fly from mid March to April and then again during the rainy season from mid September to mid October.

Larvae probably feed on Acacia species and have been found in the wild on Honey mesquite (Prosopsis glandulosa).

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

These moths tend to eclose at night with scenting and mating occuring after 10:00 pm. In the wild, both sexes come in to lights.

The species mates very readily in captivity and females ovaposit in paper bags.

OVA, LARVAE, COCOONS, AND PUPAE:

This species pupates under soil in a chamber fashioned with silk and debris. Pupae should not be subjected to freezing temperatures and a light sprinkling of soil once a month will help prevent dessication.

Larval Food Plants

Listed below are primary food plant(s) and alternate food plants listed in Stephen E. Stone's Foodplants of World Saturniidae. 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.

Acacia farnesiana Acacia rigidula Cercidium floridum Cercidium microphyllum Gleditsia triacanthos Prosopsis glandulosa

Huisache Ebony blackbead Texas paloverde Little-leaf horsebean Honeylocust Honey mesquite

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