Aellopos clavipes male courtesy of Dan Janzen.

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Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

TAXONOMY: Family: Sphingidae, Latreille, 1802 Subfamily: Macroglossinae, Harris, 1839 Tribe: Dilophonotini, Burmeister, 1878 Genus: Aellopos Hubner, [1819] ........... Species: clavipes Rothschild & Jordan, 1903

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DISTRIBUTION:

Aellopos clavipes, the Aellopos Sphinx Moth, (Wing span: 2 - 2 1/2 inches (5 - 6.4 cm)), flies in
Mexico (specimen type locality);
Belize: Corozol;
probably Guatemala;
probably Honduras;
probably Nicaragua ??;
Costa Rica; Guanacaste, Puntarenas, Alajuela,
probably Panama;
Jamaica;
Venezuela: Aragua, Carabobo, Lara, Merida, Portuguesa;
probably Colombia;
probably Ecuador;
Peru;
Bolivia ??;
Brazil;
probably Parguay;
northern Argentina: Misiones, Salta (405m EB);
into Texas, Arizona, and southern California, preferring tropical and subtropical lowlands.

Sesia eumelas Jordan 1924, is a synonym for clavipes.

Aellopos clavipes, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico,
courtesy of Ben Trott.

The body is dark brown with a wide white band across the abdomen. Wings are dark brown. The forewing has a black cell spot and three white spots near the pale brown marginal area. Note the absence of white scales on the hindwing anal angle, helping to distinguish this species from Aellopos titan.

Aellopos clavipes, Hidalgo County, Texas, August 28, 2006, courtesy of Gil Quintanilla

FLIGHT TIMES:

In Costa Rica moths have been taken on the wing from May to December. There are probably three main broods: December, April-May and September.

In Texas the flight is in August and October. Adults nectar on flowers.

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose from pupae formed in shallow subterranean chambers. Development and emergence is often within fourteen days of pupation.

Aellopos clavipes female courtesy of Dan Janzen.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Females call in the males with a pheromone released from a gland at the tip of the abdomen.

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE:

1 mm diameter green eggs are deposited in late afternoon or early evening on host foliage. Larvae feed on various species of the Rubiaceae (madder) family. Randia rhagocarpa, Randia monantha, Randia aculeata, Guettarda macrosperma and Genipa americana are listed as hosts.

Aellopos clavipes fifth instar, copyright/courtesy of James P. Tuttle.

J.F. Doyle, writes, This species "probably uses Buttonbush, Cephalanthus occidentalis, a Rubiaceae, as a larval foodplant. It occurs along the Medina River, very close to Castroville, Texas. Reported to use other plants in that family in the Rio Grande Valley, i.e. Randia rhagocarpa. A. clavipes is more common there. I have learned that it has been recorded previously from this county and I will let you know the details on that as soon as I can." Image sent by Terry Doyle, October 9, 2006.

Caterpillars pupate in shallow underground chambers.

Ben Trott provides the following images and writes, "Although its foodplant Randia rhagocarpa is found everywhere, this is an elusive species. I have seen adults buzzing around in the early evening, and one female trying to lay eggs, I searched the bush afterwards, but no eggs were to be seen. The evidence of the larvae is common to find (old frass, stripped shrubs), but I have only found one so far."

Aellopos clavipes fourth instar, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico,
courtesy of Ben Trott.

Aellopos clavipes fifth instar, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico,
courtesy of Ben Trott.

Aellopos clavipes fifth instar, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico,
courtesy of Ben Trott.

Aellopos clavipes prepupal fifth instar, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico,
courtesy of Ben Trott.

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