DISTRIBUTION:

Adhemarius daphne (approximate wingspan: 104-111mm) flies in
Brazil: Minas Gerais; and in
Venezuela;
Colombia: Cundinamarca;
Ecuador;
Peru;
French Guiana: Kaw;
Bolivia: Beni;
Argentina Misiones Province (Yacutinga Private Reserve, near border with Brazil and Paraguay);
Paraguay: Itapua; Neembucu (AOC).

Jose Monzon reports it as far north as Guatemala: Izabal.

CATE also reports it in Mexico: Quintana Roo (BT); Costa Rica, so I suspect it flies throughout Central America (confirmed in Panama (LM)) and probably in Guyana; and now confirmed in Suriname: Brokopondo District: Brownsberg (JvB).

Adhemarius daphne, Brownsberg, National Park, Brokopondo District, Suriname,
July 8, 2011, courtesy of Johan van't Bosch.

Adhemarius daphne, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico, courtesy of Ben Trott.

Adhemarius daphne, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico, courtesy of Ben Trott.

Adhemarius daphne, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico, courtesy of Ben Trott.

Ben Trott confirms the presence in Mexico with images from Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo. Previously those specimens in Mexico had been associated with Adhemarius gannascus. In A. daphne the dark basal patch does not extend onto the costa as it does in A. gannascus.

Adhemarius daphne, Yacutinga Private Reserve, Misiones Province,
(near border between Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil), September 2007,
courtesy of Ezequiel Osvaldo Núñez Bustos.

"This species is frequently confused with A. gannascus. However, the two species are easily separated by the shape of the subapical mark on the forewing costa (Haxaire, 1986). In A. gannascus, this mark is a narrow, comma-shaped lunule, whereas in A. daphne, it is much broader. Haxaire & Herbin (2000) recorded this species from Yocumo [Yacuma] (350m), Department of Beni."

Adhemarius daphne, Itapua, Paraguay, courtesy of Regis Nossent/Fauna Paraguay.

The antemedial line does not extend into the costa in A. daphne. In Kitching and Cadiou 2000, A. daphne is treated as a synonym of A. gannascus. I believe Jean Haxaire has recently elevated it to full species status. The moth to the right from Puerto Iguazu, Misiones Province, Argentina, courtesy of Oz Rittner, has been confirmed by Jean Haxaire as A. daphne.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Adhemarius daphne probably produces at least two broods annually.

In Brazil it has been recorded in March and November. Rodrigo Torres Nunez reports a December 14, 2010, flight in Cundinamarca, Colombia. Johan van't Bosch reports a July flight in Suriname.

Adhemarius daphne larval hosts are unknown to me.

Adhemarius daphne, Cundinamarca, Colombia,
111mm, December 14, 2010, courtesy of Rodrigo Torres Nunez.

Adhemarius daphne (verso), Cundinamarca, Colombia,
111mm, December 14, 2010, courtesy of Rodrigo Torres Nunez.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Adhemarius daphne, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
March 22, 2010, courtesy of Larry Valentine.

Visit additional Adhemarius daphne images, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil, March 22, 2010, courtesy of Larry Valentine.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Ben Trott sends the Adhemarius daphne larval images from Quintana Roo, Mexico. He writes, "Found on a shrub belonging to the Lauraceae family, very well camouflaged with its blue green morph and spots." The images were originally thought to be A. gannascus, but the emergence of the subsequent adult revealed them as Adhemarius daphne larval images. The adult from the larva is posted above.

Adhemarius daphne fifth instar, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico,
courtesy of Ben Trott.

Adhemarius daphne fifth instar, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico,
courtesy of Ben Trott.

Larval Food Plants

Listed below are primary food plant(s) and alternate food plants. 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.

Lauraceae (BT) .......

Lauraceae

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