Manduca brontes cubensis

Manduca brontes cubensis
(Grote, 1865) Sphinx

Manduca brontes cubensis, by John Vriesi

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke. Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

TAXONOMY:

Family: Sphingidae, Latreille, 1802
Subfamily: Sphinginae, Latreille, [1802]
Tribe: Sphingini, Latreille, 1802
Genus: Manduca Hubner, [1807] ...........
Species: brontes cubensis (Grote, 1865)

DISTRIBUTION:

Manduca brontes cubensis flies in Cuba, Haiti, Peurto Rico, the Cayman Islands and Florida.

Kitching and Cadiou (2000) now recognize Manduca brontes cubensis as a distinct subspecies of Manduca brontes.

This subspecies is smaller than the nominate subspecies, and shows more contrast on the wings.

FLIGHT TIMES:

Manduca brontes cubensis adults probably fly from April to June.

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. Adults take nectar from flowers.

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE:

Larvae probably feed on Tecoma, Fraxinus americana, Fraxinus excelsior, Fraxinus platycarpa and Tecoma stans, with the latter now confirmed by Jean Haxaire.

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