Common Name: Swift-Winged Sphinx

Ecology and Life History:
This moth is active year round in Central and South America. In Florida, it may breed on the keys and therefore could be found year-round, most records are from August in Florida. In northern Florida it is a stray only likely to be encountered in the summer or fall months. This moth is a stray in Southern Texas with individuals likely being seen in the summer or fall months. This species is highly attracted to light, with both sexes coming to artificial lights. While a curious male may come investigate baited trees, bait is an ineffective method for attracting this species. This species is sexually dimorphic. Males have brown forewings, and have a bright yellow patch on the basal area of the hindwing. Females also have brown forewings, with a small discal spot, and a line that crosses the entire moth from mid-forewing to mid-forewings. Females lack the yellow patch on the basal area of the hindwing. Eggs are laid on the leaves and stems of hostplants. Larvae likely feed on the undersides of the leaves when young. Larger larvae likely hide on the stems of the plant, or on nearby surfaces when not feeding.

Habitat and Searching for Larvae:
This is a species that eats plants in the Vitaceae and Dilleniaceae. Larvae can likely be found anywhere on the plant. Older larvae are usually more conspicuous particularly after they’ve been feeding for a while. This species breeds in tropical hammocks and edges where its hostplant grows. Larvae can likely be found nearly year-round in South Florida if they are breeding there. Though, September-November would likely be peak time for finding larvae. This species almost certainly fluoresces under UV light, though it has not yet been shown. It’s relative, Enyo lugubris, glows supremely well. 

Rearing Notes: {COMING SOON}

Host plants:

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Cloud Database by Caspio

Male - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly

Adult Description: This moth is fairly small, with forewings measuring 25-29mm in length (2). This species exhibits sexual dimorphism. The easiest way to separate males and females is to look at the hindwing. Males have a light yellow patch on the basal area of the hindwing, whereas females do not. Both sexes of this species have chocolate brown forewings with a stripe that runs across the forewings and thorax when the moth is at rest. Females (and males to a lesser extent) of this species resemble Enyo lugubris. In this species, the discal spot of the forewing is very small, and the line across the thorax is wide. In Enyo lugubris, the discal spot is much larger and the line on the thorax is faint and very thin. Males of E. lugubris lack the yellow patch on the hindwing.

Larval Description: 
L5: A variable larva, almost always having a green base color. There are 7 lateral stripes on the abdominal segments that are just below the spiracles. There is a subdorsal line as well as a parallel dorsal stripes. The larva may be boldly patterned with red, orange, green, or blue. The head capsule is distinctive, with two pairs of parallel white lines. One on either side of the head capsule, and two in the middle. The middle pair of lines has a thin white streak in the lower region. The caudal horn is blue at the base with a black tip, it angles straight backward.

The gallery to the left contains photos of Enyo ocypete 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 Enyo ocypete larval and pupal stages. If you have a photo that you would like to submit to us, please contact us.