SPHINGIDAE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

erinnyis lassauxii

(Boisduval, 1859)

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Common Name: Lassaux's Sphinx

Ecology and Life History:
This moth is active nearly year-round in South Texas and Florida. It is most likely to be encountered in the Spring or Fall in Texas (2). This moth is attracted to light and both sexes will come to artificial light. Bait or other methods are ineffective for attracting this species. This species is not sexually dimorphic, though females are generally larger than males. Females also have a slightly larger, rounder abdomen. Eggs are laid on the leaves and stems of hostplants (Asclepiadaceae). Young larvae likely feed on the undersides of leaves. Older larvae almost certainly hide on the vines as their coloration is perfectly suited to it.

Habitat and Searching for Larvae:
Larvae consume the leaves of climbing milkweeds (Asclepiadacae) (2). Larvae can be found virtually anywhere on the plant, younger instars likely prefer new growth. Other species in the genus show no preference for new growth in the later instars, and likely this species follows suit. In the USA, this moth is restricted to South Florida and South Texas. In Texas, it can be found in urban areas, suburban areas, fields, edges, and woodlands. In Florida it is more associated with suburban areas and hammocks where its hostplants are found. Larvae, if present in the USA, can likely be found nearly year-round. The two peaks noted for adults in Texas are Spring and Fall, which means that larvae would be found in late spring to summer and then again in the winter to early spring. It is currently unknown if this species breeds within the USA. It is not known if this larva fluoresces under UV light. Given that other members of the genus do fluoresce, this species likely does as well.

Rearing Notes: {COMING SOON}

Host plants:
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Picture
(C) Troy Hibbitts
Adult Description: A medium sized sphingid with forewings measuring 38-44mm (2). The forewings are dark brown with a lighter brown area in the apex and basal areas of the forewings. This immediately separates it from almost every member of the genus except Erinnyis alope and Erinnyis crameri. The hindwings of this species are red with a blueish anal angle and a black rim. In E. alope, the hindwings are yellow with a black rim; in E. crameri, the hindwings are red with a thin, scalloped, black rim.

Larval Description:
L5: ​
The larva of this species is quite strange looking. It is green in color, with brown, bark-like coloration on the lower portion of the abdominal segments, right above the prolegs but below the spiracles. The brown coloration is also present in the dorsal region of the larva. The thoracic region of the larva is completely brown with two large white nodules. Tuttle notes that these markings and coloration makes it blend in extremely well with climbing milkweeds (2). The white nodules on the thoracic segment help the illusion by looking like milkweed sap (2).

The gallery to the left contains photos of Erinnyis lassauxii 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 Erinnyis lassauxii larval and pupal stages. If you have a photo that you would like to submit to us, please contact us.
(C) Monica Krancevic
(C) Jeir Ortega Galvan
(C) Troy Hibbitts
(C) Troy Hibbitts
(C) Troy Hibbitts
(C) James Adams
(C) Teá Kesting-Handly
(C) Teá Montagna

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Macroglossinae

Aellopos clavipes
Aellopos fadus
Aellopos tantalus
Aellopos titan
Amphion floridensis
Cautethia grotei
Callionima falcifera
Callionima parce
Darapsa choerilus
Darapsa myron
Darapsa versicolor
Deidemia inscriptum
Enyo lugubris
Enyo ocypete
Erinnyis alope
Erinnyis crameri
Erinnyis ello
Erinnyis guttularis
Erinnyis lassauxii
Erinnyis oenotrus
Erinnyis obscura
Eumorpha achemon
Eumorpha fasciatus
Eumorpha intermedia
Eumorpha labruscae
Eumorpha pandorus
Eumorpha satellitia
Eumorpha vitis
Eumorpha typhon
Eupyrrhoglossum sagra​
Hemaris diffinis
Hemaris gracilis
Hemaris thysbe
Hyles euphorbiae
Hyles gallii
Hyles lineata
Madoryx pseudothyreus
Pachylioides resumens
Pachylia ficus
Perigonia lusca
Phryxus caicus
Proserpinus flavofasciata
Proserpinus juanita
Proserpinus gaurae
Proserpinus lucidus
Pseudosphinx tetrio
Sphecodina abbottii
Xylophanes falco
Xylophanes pluto
Xylophanes libya
Xylophanes porcus
Xylophanes tersa

Smerinthinae

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

Sphinginae

Agrius cingulata
Ceratomia amyntor
Ceratomia catalpae
Ceratomia hageni
Ceratomia undulosa
Cocytius antaeus
Cocytius duponchel
Dolba hyloeus
Isoparce cupressi
Lapara bombycoides
Lapara coniferarum
Lintneria istar
Lintneria separatus
Lintneria eremitus
Manduca jasminearum
Manduca occulta
Manduca brontes cubensis
Manduca florestan
Manduca muscosa
Manduca quinquemaculatus
Manduca rustica
Manduca sexta
Neococytius cluentius
Paratrea plebeja
Sphinx canadensis
Sphinx chersis
Sphinx dollii
Sphinx drupiferarum
Sphinx frankii
Sphinx gordius
Sphinx kalmiae
Sphinx leucophaeata
Sphinx luscitiosa
Sphinx pinastri
Sphinx poecila 
Copyright © 2023
  • Home
  • Sphingidae Index
    • Macroglossinae >
      • Aellopos >
        • Aellopos clavipes
        • Aellopos fadus
        • Aellopos tantalus
        • Aellopos titan
      • Amphion >
        • Amphion floridensis
      • Callionima >
        • Callionima falcifera
        • Callionima parce
      • Cautethia >
        • Cautethia grotei
      • Darapsa >
        • Darapsa versicolor
        • Darapsa myron
        • Darapsa choerilus
      • Deidamia >
        • Deidamia inscriptum
      • Enyo >
        • Enyo lugubris
        • Enyo ocypete
      • Erinnyis >
        • Erinnyis alope
        • Erinnyis crameri
        • Erinnyis ello
        • Erinnyis guttularis
        • Erinnyis lassauxii
        • Erinnyis oenotrus
        • Erinnyis obscura
      • Eumorpha >
        • Eumorpha pandorus
        • Eumorpha achemon
        • Eumorpha fasciatus
        • Eumorpha satellitia
        • Eumorpha labruscae
        • Eumorpha intermedia
        • Eumorpha vitis
        • Eumorpha typhon
      • Eupyrrhoglossum >
        • Eupyrrhoglossum sagra
      • Hemaris >
        • Hemaris thysbe
        • Hemaris gracilis
        • Hemaris diffinis
        • Hemaris aethra
      • Hyles >
        • Hyles gallii
        • Hyles euphorbiae
        • Hyles lineata
      • Madoryx >
        • Madoryx pseudothyreus
      • Pachylioides >
        • Pachylioides resumens
      • Pachylia >
        • Pachylia ficus
      • Phryxus >
        • Phryxus caicus
      • Perigonia >
        • Perigonia lusca
      • Proserpinus >
        • Proserpinus juanita
        • Proserpinus flavofasciata
        • Proserpinus gaurae
        • Proserpinus lucidus
        • Proserpinus terlooii
      • Pseudosphinx >
        • Pseudosphinx tetrio
      • Sphecodina >
        • Sphecodina abbottii
      • Xylophanes >
        • Xylophanes falco
        • Xylophanes libya
        • Xylophanes pluto
        • Xylophanes porcus
        • Xylophanes tersa
    • Smerinthinae >
      • Amorpha >
        • Amorpha juglandis
      • Pachysphinx >
        • Pachysphinx modesta
        • Pachysphinx occidentalis
      • 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
        • Cocytius duponchel
      • Dolba >
        • Dolba hyloeus
      • Isoparce >
        • Isoparce cupressi
      • Lapara >
        • Lapara coniferarum
        • Lapara bombycoides
      • Lintneria >
        • Lintneria eremitus
        • Lintneria istar
        • Lintneria separatus
      • Manduca >
        • Manduca brontes cubensis
        • Manduca jasminearum
        • Manduca muscosa
        • Manduca occulta
        • Manduca florestan
        • Manduca quinquemaculatus
        • Manduca rustica
        • Manduca sexta
      • Neococytius >
        • Neococytius cluentius
      • Paratrea >
        • Paratrea plebeja
      • Sphinx >
        • Sphinx canadensis
        • Sphinx chersis
        • Sphinx dollii
        • Sphinx drupiferarum
        • Sphinx franckii
        • Sphinx kalmiae
        • Sphinx leucophaeata
        • Sphinx luscitiosa
        • Sphinx poecila
        • Sphinx gordius
        • Sphinx pinastri
  • Final Instar Larva Key
  • Hostplant Index
  • Parasitoids and Predators
  • Range
  • General Information
  • Sources and Acknowledgements
  • Other Resources
    • Sphingidae Publication Library
  • Store
  • Donations