Species Darapsa choerilus - Azalea Sphinx - Hodges#7886

7886

formerly Darapsa pholus

Pholus was a centaur (half-horse, half-human creature) of Greek mythology. Pholus received the hero Hercules as a guest, and offered him some choice wine. Unfortunately, Pholus was killed by one of Hercules' poison arrows dropped by accident on his foot. Perhaps the association is between grapes--hostplant of this moth, and wine. (Based on Internet searches.)

Choerilus was a classical Greek name, including several dramatists/poets. This is apparently the current (2005) name for this species. (Based on Internet searches.)

Weird situation, Cramer named a specimen pholus in 1776, and then another specimen choerilus in 1780. The former name should take priority so there must be some good reason why it was dropped in favour of the latter name (Tony Thomas)

Wingspan 57-75 mm

Adult: forewing variably reddish-brown to orange with purplish shading; postmedian line straight or almost so; small discal spot and pale shading in median area; pale wavy-margined semicircular patch along outer margin; hindwing uniformly rusty to yellowish-orange except for pale yellowish strip along inner margin

Larva: head and front of thorax slender (body swells greatly at third thoracic segment, as in larvae of Virginia Creeper Sphinx); body green with numerous pale green dots; color changes to light reddish-brown shortly before pupating

Eastern United States, west to North Dakota and Texas, plus across southern Canada from Nova Scotia to British Columbia

Deciduous forests and associated areas; adults are nocturnal and attracted to light and bait

adults fly from June to August in the north (one brood); March to September in the south (two or more broods)

Larvae feed on leaves of azalea (Rhododendron spp.), blueberry (Vaccinium spp.), sour-gum, and Viburnum species.

Adults take nectar.

One to several generations per year, depending on latitude. In Louisiana there are as many as eight broods, beginning in March, with emergence peaks at 30-day intervals. Larvae pupate in leaf litter at base of hostplant, binding several leaves together with a few strands of silk to form a loose flimsy cocoon.

Author of species as pholus is Cramer 1776, as Sphinx pholus.

Virginia Creeper Sphinx (Darapsa myron) is smaller, has a slightly curved PM line on forewing, and often has greenish shading - never purplish

Covell plate 6 #12 (1)

live images of all life stages plus description, distribution, flight season, foodplants, biology, and detailed information on rearing (Bill Oehlke, silkmoths.bizland.com)

live adult images (Lynn Scott, Ontario)

live adult and larva images (Larry Line, Maryland)

pinned adult image (CBIF)

pinned adult images of dorsal and ventral surface plus food plants and flight season (Dale Clark, Texas)

pinned adult image by Paul Opler, plus US distribution map (butterfliesandmoths.org)

distribution in Canada list of provinces (CBIF)