Common Name: Cluentius Sphinx

Ecology and Life History:
This moth is active throughout the year in Central and South America. In the USA it is only a rare stray, being recorded in the summer and fall months. This moth is highly attracted to light. Bait and other methods are ineffective at attracting this species. While not sexually dimorphic, males of this species are smaller than females. Males tend to have an abdomen that ends in a point, whereas females have a rounder abdomen that ends in a blunt end. Eggs are laid on the stems and leaves of hostplant. Larvae likely feed on the undersides of leaves when they are young.


Habitat and Searching for Larvae:
This species eats Annonaceae and Piperaceae plants. It has also been shown to feed on Ipomoea batatas (Sweet Potato). Larvae can be found virtually anywhere on the plant, but may show preference for new growth when young. This is a moth of tropical forests, subtropical environments, edges, and suburbs. Larvae are not likely to be found in the USA, however, in the rare circumstance that they are breeding, it would likely only be during the summer and fall months. While this species has not yet been shown to fluoresce under UV light, it almost certainly does. Other large larvae in related genera fluoresce brightly, and it is assumed this species would too.

Rearing Notes: {COMING SOON}

​Adult Description: This is a very large moth, with forewings measuring 55-92mm in length (2). The overall appearance of this moth is dark brown-black with a lighter streak on the basal edge of the forewing. That same lighter coloration is also present in the submarginal area. The abdomen is black-brown with five pairs of yellow spots. The hindwings are black with yellow in the anal angle, basal area, and a small yellow streak in the center of the hindwing.

Larval Description: 
L5: This larva is highly unusual looking. The ground color is green, but there are multiple large green-white streaks that run from each abdominal segment upwards to the dorsal region. The dorsal region is almost entirely green-white. The spiracles of this species match the thoracic legs, being bright pink. The anal plate is blue and speckled with black. The caudal horn is yellow-green in color and quite granulose.

Host plants:

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(C) Teá Kesting-Handly

L5 (C) Jeir Ortega Galvan

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