SPHINGIDAE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Pachylia ficus

(Linnaeus, 1758)

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Common Name(s): Fig Sphinx

Ecology and Life History: This moth is active year-round in South Florida. It is occasionally also found in South Texas, where it is present throughout the warm season. This species will come to artificial lights, including those on stores. It is not often seen in large numbers in the USA. Bait is not likely to be an effective method of attracting this species. Males and females are identically marked, with females being larger and more rotund than males. Eggs are laid on the leaves of Ficus trees. Larvae feed singly, likely on the undersides of the leaves. Older larvae hide by sitting on the stems of ficus, they resemble a broken branch. This larva turns a spectacular teal color with a bright orange dorsal surface when it is ready to pupate, at this stage, it is extremely recognizable. 

Habitat and Searching for Larvae: This species feeds on Ficus species, particularly younger trees with new growth. Larger trees are also acceptable, but the newer growth is often out of reach. This species can be found virtually anywhere on the tree. Larvae can be out of reach and toward the top of the tree, but can also be found on lower limbs. On younger trees, this species can defoliate the tree with ease. In Florida, this is a species of tropical hammocks, yards, and parks where ample Ficus is planted or growing. Larvae can be found year-round in Florida. It is unknown whether this species glows under UV light.

Rearing Notes: {COMING SOON}


Host plants:
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Picture
(C) Roy Morris
Picture
L5 (C) Teá Montagna
Picture
Adult description: 
This is a large distinctive sphingid, forewings are 53-68mm in length (1). The overall color of this moth is brown, however fresh specimens and several populations in South Florida have a green color. The apex of the forewings has a light patch, usually olive green in color. There is often assorted black streaking on the forewings, much more noticeable in females, but may be faint in males (1). The hindwings are a nice green color with a black base and a black line in the middle and a bright white spot on the anal angle. There are no similar species in the US when taking into account the large size and coloration of this moth.

Larval description:
L5:  The larva is highly variable. Final instars can either be black and white in color and resemble bark, or they can be green or blue. The horn is greatly reduced, but not fully absent. The green or blue form larvae have two yellow dorsal stripes that run from head to the horn. The dorsal part of the larva in these forms is much darker than the rest of the larvae. There are also white abdominal streaks that bisect the orange spiracles in these forms. The head capsule is blue-green and has two white lines on it. The bark mimic form is much plainer in comparison, having only brown and white splotching. The spiracles are black in this form, and the head capsule is usually brown instead of green-blue and has black lines instead of white. Prepupal larvae are quite striking, the dorsal region turns bright orange and the rest of the larva becomes turquoise.
The gallery to the left contains photos of Pachylia ficus 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 Pachylia ficus larval and pupal stages. If you have a photo that you would like to submit to us, please contact us.
(C) Jeir Ortega Galvan
(C) Roy Morris French Guiana
(C) Roy Morris French Guiana
(C) Teá Montagna
(C) Teá Montagna
(C) Teá Montagna
(C) Teá Montagna
Pupa (C) Jeir Ortega Galvan
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
Pupa - (C) Joselo Quinones
Pupa - (C) Joselo Quinones
L5 (C) Adam Skowronski
L5 (C) David Bygott
Pupae (C) David Bygott
L5 (C) Adam Skowronski
L5 (C) Adam Skowronski
L5 (C) Adam Skowronski
L3 (C) Teá Montagna
L3 (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

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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 clarkiae
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
Smerinthus astarte
Smerinthus ophthalmica

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 
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  • Home
  • Sphingidae Index
    • Macroglossinae >
      • Aellopos >
        • Aellopos clavipes
        • Aellopos fadus
        • Aellopos tantalus
        • Aellopos titan
      • Amphion >
        • Amphion floridensis
      • Callionima >
        • Callionima falcifera
      • 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 cubensis
        • 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 clarkiae
        • 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 >
        • Complex: strigilis-carteri >
          • Protambulyx strigilis
          • Protambulyx carteri
      • Smerinthus >
        • Smerinthus jamaicensis
        • Smerinthus cerisyi
        • Smerinthus astarte
        • Smerinthus ophthalmica
    • 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
        • Complex: gordius-poecila >
          • Sphinx poecila
          • Sphinx gordius
      • Hyloicus >
        • Hyloicus pinastri
  • Final Instar Larva Key
  • Hostplant Index
  • Parasitoids and Predators
  • Range
  • General Information
  • Sources and Acknowledgements
  • Other Resources
    • Sphingidae Publication Library
  • Store
  • Donations