Manduca rustica
Manduca rustica ( preparation )
Manduca rustica is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of moth ( Sphingidae ).
- 5.1 Notes and references
- 5.2 Literature
Features
The moths have a forewing length of 52-69 millimeters. With her dark chocolate brown color and the distinctive white pattern on both pairs of wings, the type differs significantly from the other species of the genus Manduca. There is a certain similarity to Manduca albiplaga which is larger and the head has a showy white squamation. In addition, the type bears a conspicuous white band on the first abdominal segment. The patterning of Manduca rustica is only slightly variable in the intensity of white scales on.
The caterpillars are due to their size, the seven pairs of oblique, purple side stripes and long, grainy Analhorns readily determinable.
The doll is very dark brown and has a free proboscis sheath that ends in a strong thickening. The short, wide cremaster ends in a blunt tip double.
Occurrence
The species is mainly neotropisch common, but also settled a number of states in the United States. Your northernmost distribution has changed the way in Delaware, which extends the spread westwards over the lower Mississippi Valley. Manduca rustica may be common in Texas, southern New Mexico and Arizona and southern California. In late summer and early autumn it can be detected as Irrgast to southern Québec, the southwestern Ontario and southeastern Manitoba. The southern distribution extends over Mexico and Central America south to Uruguay.
Manduca rustica inhabited different habitats. In the eastern United States they are found in forests, on the southwest by waters and alluvial deposits. The highly adaptable species can be found even in urban areas.
Way of life
The moths fly to artificial light sources and in the evening when visiting flowers, for example at Agave parryi, Datura meteloides, Vinca rosea, Saponaria officinalis, or even at the ripe fruits of Stenocereus thurberi be observed.
Flight times and caterpillars
In the southwestern United States to find the moths from May to October in several generations in Arizona they fly in one generation during the summer rains. Otherwise, the type flies in two generations from July to November in the north of its distribution. In Costa Rica they fly throughout the year, with a maximum in May and June. From Bolivia is the type from January to April, detected in June, October and December.
Food of the caterpillars
The caterpillars feed on a variety of plants from different families. Mainly they feed on catalpa family ( Bignoniaceae ), such as Chilopsis linearis, Tecoma stans or Tecomaria capensis. But they are also found frequently on vervain family ( Verbenaceae ), such as Lantana camara, Callicarpa americana, and some Aloysia species. More rarely they were on ash trees ( Fraxinus ), holly (Ilex ) and some types of Kordien ( Cordia ) detected. In Costa Rica, the caterpillars feed on a very wide range of plant families.
Development
The females lay their eggs on both sides of the leaves of the caterpillar food plants. The caterpillars stay on while the rest live on the underside of leaves, but eat free sitting on the top. The diurnal caterpillars are well camouflaged by their coloring. The verpuppungsbereiten caterpillars burrow several inches deep in the soil and pupate in a chamber with greatly solidified walls.