Virginia Creeper Sphinx

Virginia Creeper Sphinx

Darapsa myron

Least Concern

Quick Facts

Kingdom: Animalia
Abundance: Common
Habitat: Forest, Urban
Activity: Nocturnal (Active at night)

A moth with an interesting pattern and named after one of the most common plants in the southeast. The adult moth is usually large with a long abdomen ending in a point. The top of the forewing is striped with shades of green to brown and has a dark dot in the middle. The top of the hindwing is orange. Known as “hornworms”, due to the large blue horn on the posterior end, the young larvae are slim and yellow. Maturing they become darker and gain 7 pairs of diagonal stripes merging into a dorsal black line.

Diet

Larvae feed on leaves of peppervine (Ampelopsis spp.), grape, and Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia). Adults feed on nectar.

Activity Pattern

Nocturnal (Active at night)
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Sphingidae
Genus: Darapsa
Species: Darapsa myron

Scientific Name

Darapsa myron

Common Name

Virginia Creeper Sphinx

Behavior

Females lay eggs in twos or threes on the underside of host leaves. Eggs hatch in 5 or 6 days and the young caterpillars eat their eggshells. Fully-grown caterpillars spin a loose cocoon in fallen leaves on the ground.

Ecological Role

Moths are important for pollination and their larvae are a food source for birds and other animals

Activity Pattern

Nocturnal (Active at night)

Habitat Types

Forest
Urban

Geographic Distribution

In Canada it is found in southern Ontario and Quebec, and in the United States is found from Maine south to south Florida; west to North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. It is also found in Mexico.

Local Abundance

Common

Conservation Status

Least Concern

This species is widespread and abundant. No immediate threat to survival.

How You Can Help

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No field notes or observations available for this species.

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