DISTRIBUTION:

Syssphinx heiligbrodti (wingspan: males: 50-65mm; females: 60-80mm) is found in lowland thorn scrub habitats from mid Texas southwards into Mexico: Tamaulipas and Veracruz.

Forewing ante and postmedial lines are distinctive.

Syssphinx heiligbrodti male, Starr County, Texas, courtesy of John Christensen.

Syssphinx heiligbrodti male, Starr County, Texas, courtesy of John Christensen.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths fly from mid March to April and then again during the rainy season from mid September to mid October.

Larvae probably feed on Acacia species and have been found in the wild on Honey mesquite (Prosopsis glandulosa).

Syssphinx heiligbrodti female, Falcon State Park, Starr County, Texas,
October 7, 1996 courtesy/copyright of Charles Bordelon and Ed Knudson

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

These moths tend to eclose at night with scenting and mating occuring after 10:00 pm. In the wild, both sexes come in to lights.

The species mates very readily in captivity and females oviposit in paper bags.

Syssphinx heiligbrodti, Starr County, Texas, courtesy of John Christensen.

Syssphinx heiligbrodti male, Starr County, Texas, courtesy of John Christensen.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Eggs incubate from 9-11 days and larvae mature (60 mm) in three-and-a-half to four weeks. When proper hosts are available, this species is very easy to rear in captivity.

Syssphinx heiligbrodti hatchling on Robinia,
courtesy of Jurgen VanHoudt.

This species pupates under soil in a chamber fashioned with silk and debris. Pupae should not be subjected to freezing temperatures and a light sprinkling of soil once a month will help prevent dessication.

Syssphinx heiligbrodti larva ready to pupate, Santa Ana NWR in south Texas,
November 14, 2004, courtesy of Linda Cooper.

Syssphinx heiligbrodti pupa, Starr County, Texas, courtesy of John Christensen.

It is quite difficult to discern between S. heiligbrodti and several of the other Syssphinx larvae.

Larval Food Plants

It is hoped that this alphabetical listing followed by the common name of the foodplant will prove useful. The list is not exhaustive. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile.

Acacia farnesiana Acacia rigidula Cercidium floridum Cercidium microphyllum....... Gleditsia triacanthos Larrea divaricata Parkinsonia florida Parkinsonia microphylla Prosopsis glandulosa Robinia (JV)

Huisache Ebony blackbead Texas paloverde Little-leaf horsebean Honeylocust Creosote Bush Blue Palo Verde Foothills Palo Verde Honey mesquite Locust

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Syssphinx heiligbrodti male (Mexico) courtesy of Dr. Manuel A. Balcazar Lara