Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
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National Moth Week was July 19-27, and the Summer 2025 gathering in Louisiana, July 19-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

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Species Xylophanes pluto - Pluto Sphinx - Hodges#7887

Representative Images

Pluto Sphinx - Xylophanes pluto Pluto Sphinx Larva - Xylophanes pluto Pluto Sphinx Larva - Xylophanes pluto Pluto Sphinx moth caterpillar - Xylophanes pluto Pluto Sphinx - Xylophanes pluto Pluto Sphinx - Xylophanes pluto Pluto Sphinx - Xylophanes pluto Xylophanes pluto
Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Bombycoidea (Silkworm, Sphinx, and Royal Moths)
Family Sphingidae (Sphinx Moths)
Subfamily Macroglossinae
Tribe Macroglossini
Genus Xylophanes
Species pluto (Pluto Sphinx - Hodges#7887)

Hodges Number

7887

Size

Wingspan 53-65 mm

Range

Brazil North through Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies, Florida and South Texas.

Season

Throughout the year in its subtropical range in the United States.

Food

Adults take nectar from such flowers as Verbena.
Larvae feed on Milkberry (Chiococca species), Hamelia patens, and Erythroxylon species. Also Pentas (Alan Chin-Lee)

Life Cycle

Life cycle images:
larva; larva; larva; pupa; adult

Print References

Covell, p. 43, plate 3 (1)

Internet References

Moths of North America

Works Cited

1.Peterson Field Guides: Eastern Moths
Charles V. Covell. 1984. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Contributed by Alan Chin Lee on 5 September, 2004 - 11:01pm
Additional contributions by cotinis, marcie oconnor
Last updated 20 January, 2017 - 5:55pm

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