SPHINGIDAE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Xylophanes Libya

(druce, 1878)

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Common Name: Libya Sphinx

Ecology and Life History:
This moth is active year-round in Central and South America. It is a rare stray in the USA being recorded in the Summer and Fall months. This species is highly attracted to light with both males and females coming to artificial lights. This species is not sexually dimorphic, though males are smaller than females. Eggs are laid on the leaves and stems of hostplants. Younger larvae likely hide on the mid-vein on the underside of the leaf. Older larvae may descend the plant during the day to hide. Like many other Sphingidae, this species has two larval color forms, a green and a brown form.

Habitat and Searching for Larvae:
Another specialist of Rubiaceae plants. This species particularly likes Wild Coffee (Psychotria). Larvae can be found virtually anywhere on the plant. Younger larvae may prefer new growth, whereas older larvae likely descend the plant during the day to hide. This is a moth of subtropical and tropical habitats. Larvae can be found virtually year-round in Central and South America. In the USA, it likely does not breed. In the unlikely case it does, larvae should be looked for in the Summer and Fall months. While it has not yet been shown, this species almost certainly fluoresces under UV light like others in the genus.

Rearing Notes: {COMING SOON}
Picture
(C) Teá Montagna
Picture
(C) Logan Crees
Picture
Adult Description: This is a medium sized orange-brown moth with forewings measuring 32-36mm in length (2). Superficially, it resembles Xylophanes tersa. This species has less black streaking on the forewings than X. tersa. Additionally, this species has a small black discal spot that is absent in X. tersa. The hindwings of this species are black with an orange band. Xylophanes tersa has hindwings that are black with yellow triangular markings forming a line.

Larval Description:
L5: 
This larva comes in two color forms, green and brown. Both forms have a pair of false eyespots on the second abdominal segment. In the green form, these eyespots are quite convincing with a blue iris. In the brown form, the eyespots are much less brightly colored. Both forms are quite plainly marked with no abdominal streaking. The caudal horn in the green form is green with some orange coloration on the dorsal side, it is thin and points straight back. The brown form has a brown caudal horn with some reddish coloration toward the base, the horn is also thin and sticks straight backward.


Hostplants
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The gallery to the left contains photos of Xylophanes libya adults. The data for each photo can be found by clicking on it. If you have a photo that you would like to submit to us, please contact us using the link at the bottom of the page.

The gallery to the right contains photos of Xylophanes libya larval and pupal stages. The data for each photo can be found by clicking on it. If you have a photo that you would like to submit to us, please contact us using the link at the bottom of the page.

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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