SPHINGICAMPA MONTANA (PACKARD, 1905)
SYSSPHINX MONTANA

Image composited by Bill Oehlke.

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

TAXONOMY: Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802 Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Subfamily: Ceratocampinae, Harris, 1841 was Syssphinginae: Packard, 1905 Genus: Syssphinx, Hubner [1819] 1816

MIDI MUSIC "Wonderful.World" copyright C. Odenkirk MIDI CITY ON.OFF <bgsound src="world.mid" LOOP=FOREVER>

DISTRIBUTON:

Syssphinx montana (wingspan 62-82 mm; males smaller than females) is found in Mexico and seldom strays into U.S., although specimens are taken in Santa Cruz, Arizona. In some taxonomies this moth is listed as Sphingicampa montana.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Syssphinx montana moths fly from mid July to early August. In Mexico the host plants are Haematoxylum brasalita and Cassia emarginata.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

These moths tend to eclose in the evening with scenting and mating occuring the same night around 11:00 pm.

OVA, LARVAE, COCOONS, AND PUPAE:

Larvae mature (60 mm) in under three weeks, and the entire development from ovum to pupa can be as short as one month. Photo courtesy of Leroy Simon. In the early instars, larvae which have hatched from green, translucent ova, have elongated thoracic scoli which project forward over the head.

Larvae colouration and shape seem to be influenced by foodplants, i.e., larvae on locust and acacia and mimosa type foliage have elongated and silvered scoli while those on broad leafed plants have much shorter scoli with greatly reduced silver.

I personally believe there is an "active intelligence" at work in larval and adult colouration whereby animals can mimic habitat colors and that "recorded" experiences can be transmitted from one generation to another.

Here on P.E.I. I rear many Pachysphinx modesta. Young larvae often rest on center veins on the upper surface of poplar leaves. Yellow leaf vein colouration is identical to yellow markings on young larvae. As larvae mature, they hide below leaves which have a much paler underside with muted white veins. Larvae are pale green in late instars. I do not believe this development is simply the result of natural selection and "survival of the fittest".

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 Cassia emarginats Gleditsia triacanthos Haematoxylum brasalita..... Robinia pseudoacacia

Sweet acacia Laburnum Honeylocust Haematoxylum Black locust/false acacia

Please visit other websites maintained by
Bill Oehlke oehlkew@islandtelecom.com
Box 476, Peardon Road
Montague, Prince Edward Island
Canada C0A 1R0.

SATURNIIDAE OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
EUROPEAN SATURNIIDAE
NORTH AMERICAN SATURNIIDAE
BUTTERFLIES OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
Return to SPHINGIDAE OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
Return to Ceratocampinae Index
Return to Caterpillar Identification Guide