DISTRIBUTION:

The Sulphur Emperor, Tagoropsis hanningtoni, moth flies in
the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in southern Africa:
South Africa;
Malawi;
Zimbabwe;
Mozambique;
Zambia: Northwestern Province; Lusaka Province; Copper Belt (WO?);
Tanzania.

Thierry Bouyer, 1999, equates T. hanningtoni with juncta Strand, 1912; songeana Strand, 1911; and nzoiana Stoneham, 1933, with hanningtoni having precedent.

Tagoropsis hanningtoni male, Durban, Natal, South Africa,
January 8, 1927, Cornell University Collection, courtesy of Ryan Saint Laurent,
id and slight digital repair by Bill Oehlke.

Tagoropsis hanningtoni male, Sakania, Katanga, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
December 18, 2012, courtesy of Nigel Voaden,
tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

I have tentatively identified both the male (directly above) and the female (below) from Sakania, DRC, as T. hanningtoni as I feel the location is good for hanningtoni, based on collecting by Robert Minetti and publications by Philippe Darge. I also think the almost pure yellow ground colour with very thin lines, the male pm line subparallel to the outer margin and the non-produced apex are a better match for hanningtoni than for other closely related species which might also be in the area.

The female with same location also seems a good match for hanningtoni.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

If my ids of the Sakania, Katanga, DRC images are correct there is a December-January flight in that area.

Larvae feed upon Allophyllus africanus (Palo blanco).

Tagoropsis hanningtoni female courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

Tagoropsis hanningtoni female, Sakania, Katanga,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, December 20, 2012,
courtesy of Nigel Voaden, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females emit an airbourne pheromone at night and males track the scent with their antennae by flying in a zigzag pattern into the wind.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

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.

Allophyllus africanus.....

Palo blanco

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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.

The word Tagoropsis means a 'leading aspect', probably indicating ease of identification (Pinhey).

The species name, 'hanningtoni', is honourific for Hannington.