SPHINGIDAE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Pseudosphinx tetrio

(linnaeus, 1771)

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Common Name(s): Tetrio Sphinx; Frangipani Hornworm

Ecology: This moth is found throughout The Caribbean and Central and South America, with US populations being in Southern Florida. This moth is a strong flier, and frequently strays outside it’s breeding range with records from Virginia, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, and Ohio. In Florida, this moth is associated with Plumeria or Frangipani. The large conspicuous larvae can defoliate Plumeria quite easily, and because of this, can be considered a pest. In Puerto Rico, this is one of the most reported species, because of the abundance of hostplant and conspicuousness of the larvae.

Rearing Notes and Larval Searching: The larvae are easily to find on ornamental Plumeria spp. You will almost never find just one larva, as females tend to lay many eggs per plant. Rearing the larvae can be accomplished easily on any of their hostplants. Larvae are very easy to rear, and do not seem as difficult to rear as other Sphingidae. Final instar larvae survive extremely well on cut food in plastic containers, and eat a considerable amount before pupation (1). Pupation is just as easy in either slightly damp soil, or damp paper towels (1). The larvae do flourcese under the UV light, and while this is another easy way to see them, daytime searches are just as productive (1).

Adult description:
This is a very large gray moth with forewings 58-78mm in length (2). This species is sexually dimorphic, the males are a darker gray with more black markings and the females are much lighter gray with less black markings. The males thorax is a much darker gray-brown as well. The markings are highly variable. The hindwings are black with some gray coloration on the anal angle. The combination of the large size and overall gray appearance with black hindwings makes this species unmistakeable.

Larval description:
L1: From it’s first instar, the larva has the typical black and yellow striping and the characteristic long spindly black horn. It is quite small, and often found feeding in large groups. This species is quite easy to recognize in all it’s larval instars.
L3: The only difference in the larva at this point, is it’s size. The color and pattern remain unchanged.
L5:  The larva is incredibly large and conspicuous. It’s black and yellow striping with a long, spindly black horn make it unmistakeable. The head capsule and collar are bright red. There is lots of black speckling on the collar, prolegs, anal plate, and base of the horn

Hostplants:


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Picture
(C) Jeir Ortega Galvan
Picture
L5 (C) William J. Lucas, Jr.
Picture
The gallery to the left contains photos of Pseudosphinx tetrio adults. If you have a photo that you would like to submit to us, please contact us.

The gallery to the right contains photos of Pseudosphinx tetrio larval and pupal stages. If you have a photo that you would like to submit to us, please contact us.
(C) Jeir Ortega Galavan
(C) Jean Haxaire
(C) Jean Haxaire
(C) Jean Haxaire
L5 (C) William J. Lucas, Jr.
L5 (C) William J. Lucas, Jr.
Pupa (C) Jeir Ortega Galvan
L5 (C) Jeir Ortega Galvan
L5 (C) William J. Lucas, Jr.
L3 - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L3 - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L5 (C) William J. Lucas, Jr.
L5 (C) William J. Lucas, Jr.
L5 (C) William J. Lucas, Jr.

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Macroglossinae

Cautethia grotei
Darapsa choerilus
Darapsa myron
Darapsa versicolor
Deidemia inscriptum
Enyo lugubris
Erinnyis alope
Erinnyis ello
Erinnyis obscura
Eumorpha achemon
Eumorpha fasciatus
Eumorpha intermedia
Eumorpha labruscae
Eumorpha pandorus
Eumorpha satellitia
Eumorpha vitis
Eumorpha typhon​
Hemaris diffinis
Hemaris gracilis
Hemaris thysbe
Hyles euphorbiae
Hyles gallii
Hyles lineata
Pachylia ficus
Proserpinus flavofasciata
Proserpinus gaurae
Pseudosphinx tetrio
Sphecodina abbottii
Xylophanes falco
Xylophanes pluto
Xylophanes tersa

Smerinthinae

Protambulyx strigilis
Amorpha juglandis
Pachysphinx modesta
Paonias astylus
Paonias excaecata
Paonias myops
Smerinthus cerisyi
Smerinthus jamaicensis

Sphinginae

Agrius cingulata
Ceratomia amyntor
Ceratomia catalpae
Ceratomia hageni
Ceratomia undulosa
Cocytius antaeus
Dolba hyloeus
Isoparce cupressi
Lapara bombycoides
Lapara coniferarum
Lintneria istar
Lintneria eremitus
Manduca jasminearum
Manduca occulta
Manduca quinquemaculatus
Manduca rustica
Manduca sexta
Paratrea plebeja
Sphinx canadensis
Sphinx chersis
Sphinx drupiferarum
Sphinx frankii
Sphinx gordius
Sphinx kalmiae
Sphinx luscitiosa
Sphinx poecila 
Copyright © 2018
  • Home
  • Sphingidae Index
    • Macroglossinae >
      • Aellopos >
        • Aellopos fadus
        • Aellopos tantalus
        • Aellopos titan
      • Amphion >
        • Amphion floridensis
      • Cautethia >
        • Cautethia grotei
      • Darapsa >
        • Darapsa versicolor
        • Darapsa myron
        • Darapsa choerilus
      • Deidamia >
        • Deidamia inscriptum
      • Enyo >
        • Enyo lugubris
      • Erinnyis >
        • Erinnyis alope
        • Erinnyis obscura
        • Erinnyis ello
      • Eumorpha >
        • Eumorpha pandorus
        • Eumorpha achemon
        • Eumorpha fasciatus
        • Eumorpha satellitia
        • Eumorpha labruscae
        • Eumorpha intermedia
        • Eumorpha vitis
        • Eumorpha typhon
      • Hemaris >
        • Hemaris thysbe
        • Hemaris gracilis
        • Hemaris diffinis
      • Hyles >
        • Hyles gallii
        • Hyles euphorbiae
        • Hyles lineata
      • Pachylia >
        • Pachylia ficus
      • Proserpinus >
        • Proserpinus flavofasciata
        • Proserpinus gaurae
        • Proserpinus terlooii
      • Pseudosphinx >
        • Pseudosphinx tetrio
      • Sphecodina >
        • Sphecodina abbottii
      • Xylophanes >
        • Xylophanes falco
        • Xylophanes pluto
        • Xylophanes tersa
    • Smerinthinae >
      • Amorpha >
        • Amorpha juglandis
      • Pachysphinx >
        • Pachysphinx modesta
      • Paonias >
        • Paonias excaecata
        • Paonias myops
        • Paonias astylus
      • Protambulyx >
        • Protambulyx strigilis
      • Smerinthus >
        • Smerinthus jamaicensis
        • Smerinthus cerisyi
    • Sphinginae >
      • Agrius >
        • Agrius cingulata
      • Ceratomia >
        • Ceratomia amyntor
        • Ceratomia hageni
        • Ceratomia undulosa
        • Ceratomia catalpae
      • Cocytius >
        • Cocytius antaeus
      • Dolba >
        • Dolba hyloeus
      • Isoparce >
        • Isoparce cupressi
      • Lapara >
        • Lapara coniferarum
        • Lapara bombycoides
      • Lintneria >
        • Lintneria eremitus
        • Lintneria istar
      • Manduca >
        • Manduca sexta
        • Manduca quinquemaculatus
        • Manduca occulta
        • Manduca rustica
        • Manduca jasminearum
      • Paratrea >
        • Paratrea plebeja
      • Sphinx >
        • Sphinx chersis
        • Sphinx franckii
        • Sphinx canadensis
        • Sphinx kalmiae
        • Sphinx gordius
        • Sphinx poecila
        • Sphinx luscitiosa
        • Sphinx drupiferarum
  • Hostplant Index
  • Parasitoids and Predators
  • Range
  • General Information
  • Sources and Acknowledgements
  • Other Resources