DISTRIBUTION:

Isognathus caricae (Wing span: males: 94mm; females: 104mm), flies from
Costa Rica to
Venezuela: Suapure;
French Guiana: St. Laurent du Maroni; Saint-Georges l'Oyopok
Bolivia: Santa Cruz;
Argentina: Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Misiones; and
Brazil: Minas Gerais, Bahia; with "America" given as the specimen type locality. Carlot Didier reports them from
French Guiana.

This is the only Isognathus species that has the dark marginal band of the hindwing upperside being replaced by a series of black streaks along the veins. CATE

The forewing has two orangey-brown patches connected below the cell mark, and a smaller basal patch along the inner margin. Otherwise forewings are dark grey.

Subspecies Isognathus caricae rainermarxi Eitschberger, 1999, flies in Peru: Amazonas; and it may be this subspecies that flies in the more southerly nations listed above.

Isognathus caricae male, Costa Rica, courtesy of Dan Janzen.

FLIGHT TIMES:

There are probably several flights throughout the year. The specimen courtesy of Frederik Goussey was taken in November. In French Guiana specimens have been reported in February and December.

ECLOSION:

Moths emerge from pupae in thin-walled cocoons under leaf litter within 8-24 days of pupation.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Females call in the males with a pheromone released from a gland at the tip of the abdomen. Adults nectar at flowers, including petunia.

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE: Females probably lay eggs on leaves of Apocynacea. Himatanthus obovatus, Allamanda cathartica and Allamanda schottii have been reported as a host. Larvae have long tails; colouration suggests they are unpalatable to birds.

Dark prepupal Isognathus caricae larva, French Guiana,
courtesy of Antoine Guyonnet

Isognathus caricae moth from larva above, St. Laurent du Maroni, French Guiana,
courtesy of Antoine Guyonnet

The pupae are also quite colourful, and, I suspect, are very lively. Moths generaly emerge witin 8-24 days of pupation.

Return to Sphingidae Index
Return to Dilophonotini Tribe

Isognathus caricae, Bahia, Brazil, courtesy of Matthew Harvey, id by Bill Oehlke, confirmed by Jean Haxaire.