SPHINGICAMPA RASPA (BOISDUVAL, 1872)
SYSSPHINX RASPA

Syssphinx raspa courtesy of Chris Conlan.

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

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DISTRIBUTON:

Sphingicampa raspa (wingspan 65-75 mm; males smaller than females) is found in Mexico and seldom strays into U.S., although specimens are taken in extreme southern Arizona and southwestern Texas.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Syssphinx raspa moths fly from late July to early August. Some specimens taken in mid September suggest at least a partial second brood. The preferred host plant is Acacia angustissima.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Syssphinx raspa moths tend to eclose in the evening with scenting and mating occuring the next night (in captivity) between 8:00 and midnight. In the wild, males most often come in to lights between 1:00 and 3:00 am suggesting an early morning mating period.

OVA, LARVAE, COCOONS, AND PUPAE:

Green translucent ova incubate from 9-11 days and larvae, well-equipped with extensive, elongated scoli, mature (60 mm) in three-and-a-half to four weeks. Photo courtesy of Chris Conlan.

This species pupates under very dry 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 angustissima.....

Prairie acacia

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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
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