DISTRIBUTION:

Grote's Sphinx, Cautethia grotei apira, [wingspan: ], flies in the Cayman Islands.

The pronunciation of scientific names is troublesome for many. The "suggestion" at the top of the page is merely a suggestion. It is based on commonly accepted English pronunciation of Greek names and/or some fairly well accepted "rules" for latinized scientific names.

The suggested pronunciations, on this page and on other pages, are primarily put forward to assist those who hear with internal ears as they read.

There are many collectors from different countries whose intonations and accents would be different.

Some of the early describers/namers chose genus and species names indicating some character of the insect, but more often, they simply chose names from Greek or Roman mythology or history.

Those species names which end in "ensis" indicate a specimen locale, and those which end in "i", pronounced "eye", honour a contempory friend/collector/etc.

I have no idea about the origin of "Cautethia" and am not at all sure of its pronunciation.

The species name "grotei" is honourific for Augustus Radcliffe Grote. The subspecies name, "apira", is a mistery to me, but it may be a root for April possibly a flight time for this species.

FLIGHT TIMES:

Cautethia grotei apira adults probably fly as multiple broods and nectar at flowers, beginning at dusk.

ECLOSION:

Pupae probably wiggle to surface from subterranean chambers just prior to eclosion.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Females call in the males with a pheromone released from a gland at the tip of the abdomen.

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE:

Larvae probably feed on Rubiaceae family plants.

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