SPHINGIDAE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Eumorpha achemon

(Drury, 1773)

  • 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 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
Common Name(s): Achemon Sphinx

​
Ecology/Life History Overview: This species has one of the largest distributions of Sphingidae in the USA. Found essentially throughout the US, missing only from small portions in the Northern US, this moth can virtually be found year round depending on where you go. In most of the US, this species is found throughout the summer months. In Southern Florida and Texas and parts of the Gulf Coast, it can be on the wing nearly year-round. This species can be encountered in high numbers, especially in the Southwest. Peak flight for adults seems to be between 2200-0230 hours. Tuttle notes that in New England and the Upper Midwest this moth is univoline (2). In Massachusetts, especially along the coast, larvae can be recovered from early July through October hinting at multiple broods (1). Rearing of moths from this state can produce multiple generations in captivity even when reared outdoors in sleeves (1).
​

Habitat/Searching for Larvae: Like many Vitacea feeding sphingids, this is not an insect often encountered in dense woodland. The best places to find larvae seem to be suburban-rural locations. Many caterpillars of this species have been found by searching Grape and Virginia Creeper vines growing over fences in suburban neighborhoods. Adults have also been encountered laying eggs on sprawling vines on dunes (1). Larvae are quite easy to find when you find a decent stand of hostplant. Young larvae tend to feed on new growth, using their small caudal horn to blend in with the tendrils of the hostplant. In a dry wash in Southeastern Arizona, several dozen larvae were encountered on one large Vitis arizonica plant. This larva glows exceptionally well under UV light, especially as younger instars. Full grown larvae do fluoresce, but not as well depending on the color-morph.

Rearing Notes: This species is incredibly easy to rear in captivity and may be the easiest Eumorpha to rear in captivity. Adults will mate and lay eggs in captivity, even in smaller flight cages. The larvae accept almost any species of Vitis and Parthenocissus. Larvae should not be kept too crowded at later instars. Unlike many species of Sphingidae, it appears that Eumorpha achemon will continuously brood if given the opportunity and correct environmental factors. Northern populations of this species will easily break diapause if you supply them with light and heat.

Adult description: This is the smallest moth in the genus Eumorpha in North America with forewings only 42-49mm in length (2). The base color of the body and forewings is brown with a black basal rectangular area. Large dark brown triangles are present on the sides of the thorax. The hindwings of this species are a salmony pink. This combination of features makes it unmistakeable in the US.
​

Host plants:
Click here to load this Caspio Cloud Database
Cloud Database by Caspio
Picture
(C) Teá Montagna
Picture
Picture
Larval description:
L1: First instar larvae are small green hornworms with an extraordinarily long red horn and somewhat oversized head.

L3: At this stage, the larvae look quite different. The long straight horn now curves and looks strikingly similar to a Parthenocissus quinquefolia tendril. The larvae are green or red in color, with a white horizontal line down the length of their body. A series of diagonal lines bisect the spiracles on each abdominal segment.

L4: The larva now loses the horn entirely, replacing it with a small hard eyespot like mark. The area can sometimes appear raised. The larva can rear its body up, and contract it’s thoracic segments back into the swollen A1 segment to give it a more menacing appearance. The larvae are red or green in color. There are several eyespots connected together that can sometimes resembles lines bisecting the spiracles on each abdominal segment.
​

L5: Superficially resembling the larvae of E. pandorus, the easiest way to distinguish larvae is by looking at the eyespots on each of the abdominal segments. If the eye spot is large and distinctive, you have E. pandorus. If the eye spots are more like a streak, resembling three smaller circles placed together, you have E. achemon. The larvae of this species don’t have quite as many color morphs, usually only a green, a dark red, and light red forms. In the Southwest, this species can be separated from Eumorpha typhon by the yellowish button where the caudal horn used to be and by the  sparser black speckling. In Eumorpha typhon the button where the caudal horn was is reddish and the overall speckling is black and much denser. Eumorpha typhon also has more solid rectangles of color on each abdominal section and these are usually yellow-cream in color rather than white.
The gallery to the left contains photos of Eumorpha achemon 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 Eumorpha achemon larval and pupal stages. If you have a photo that you would like to submit to us, please contact us.
(C) Roberta Blair
(C) Eric Eaton
(C) Eric Eaton
(C) Eric Eaton
(C) Alex Baranowski
(C) Maya Shikhman
(C) Teá Montagna
(C) Teá Montagna
(C) Teá Montagna
(C) Teá Montagna
L5 (C) William J. Lucas, Jr.
L5 (C) William J. Lucas, Jr.
L5 (C) Eric Eaton
L5 - (C) Bob Barber
L5 - (C) Bob Barber
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L3 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
(C) Jennifer Vanderwoerd
L5 (C) Teá Montagna
Egg - (C) Teá Montagna
L1 - (C) Teá Montagna
L2 - (C) Teá Montagna
L2 - (C) Teá Montagna
L3 - (C) Teá Montagna
L3 - (C) Teá Montagna
L4 - (C) Teá Montagna
L4 - (C) Teá Montagna
L4 - (C) Teá Montagna
L4 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
Pupa - (C) Teá Montagna
Pupa - (C) Teá Montagna
L2 - (C) Teá Montagna
L2 - (C) Teá Montagna
Pupa - (C) Teá Montagna
L3 - (C) Teá Montagna
L4 - (C) Teá Montagna
L4 - (C) Teá Montagna
L4 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L3 - (C) Teá Montagna
L3 - (C) Teá Montagna
L3 - (C) Teá Montagna
L1 - (C) Teá Montagna
L1 - (C) Teá Montagna
L4 - (C) Teá Montagna
Pupa - (C) Teá Montagna
Pupa - (C) Teá Montagna
Pupa - (C) Teá Montagna

Home

About

Contact

Like us on Facebook!

×

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 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 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