Hyles lineata

Hyles lineata
White-lined sphinx
Hyles lineata, adult
Hyles lineata, larva
Conservation status
Not evaluated (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Sphingidae
Genus: Hyles
Species: H. lineata
Binomial name
Hyles lineata
(Fabricius, 1775)[1]
Synonyms
  • Sphinx lineata Fabricius, 1775
  • Celerio lineata
  • Deilephila lineata
  • Sphinx daucus Cramer, [1777]
  • Sphinx lineata americana Laporte, 1830
  • Celerio lineata florilega Kernbach, 1962
  • Celerio lineata lineatoides Gehlen, 1934

The White-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata) is a moth of the Sphingidae family. It lives from Central America, through the United States and into parts of Canada.

Contents

Description

The fore wing is dark brown with a tan stripe which extends from the base to the apex. There are also white lines that cover the veins. The black hind wing has a broad pink median band. It has a wingspan of 2 to 3 inches.[2]

Flight

The White-lined sphinx may be encountered from April to October.[2]

Range

The moth's range is throughout the United States and extends north into southern Canada and south into Mexico. It can also be found occasionally in the West Indies.[3]

Life cycle

The larva is yellow and black or sometimes lime green and black. Many individuals have a subdorsal stripe. The head, prothoracic shield, and the anal plate are one color either green or orange with small black dots. The horn varies from either yellow or orange and sometimes has a black tip.[4] Larvae burrow into soil to go into chrysallis, where they remain for 2–3 weeks before they emerge as adults.

Host Plants

The adult of this species is a key pollinator of the rare lemon lily (Lilium parryi) in California.[5]

The caterpillars of this species eat:


Gallery

  • In flight over Showy evening primroses

  • White-lined sphinx larva and egg

  • White-lined sphinx larva feeding

  • White-lined sphinx larva - head close-up

  • White-lined sphinx larva

  • White-lined sphinx larva

  • White-lined sphinx larva shortly before pupating

  • Adult white-lined sphinx

  • White-lined sphinx moths mating

References

  1. ^ "CATE Creating a Taxonomic eScience - Sphingidae". Cate-sphingidae.org. https://www.cate-sphingidae.org/taxonomy/Hyles/lineata.html. Retrieved 2011-10-25. 
  2. ^ a b Charles V. Covell, Jr. (1984, 2005). Moths of Eastern North America. Virginia Museum of Natural History, Martinsville, VA. ISBN 1-884549-21-7
  3. ^ "Butterflies and Moths of North America | collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera". Butterfliesandmoths.org. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=3477. Retrieved 2011-10-25. 
  4. ^ David L. Wagner (2005). Caterpillars of Eastern North America. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. ISBN 0-691-12144-3
  5. ^ "''Lilium parryi''". Center for Plant Conservation. http://www.centerforplantconservation.org/ASP/CPC_ViewProfile.asp?CPCNum=2549. Retrieved 2011-10-25. 

External links

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