Agrius cingulata explained

Agrius cingulata, the pink-spotted hawkmoth or sweetpotato hornworm, is a moth in the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775.

Description

The imago has a wingspan of to inches (9.5–12 cm). Its robust body is gray brown with pink bands. The abdomen tapers to a point. The hindwings are gray with black bands and pink at the bases.

Biology

The imago is nocturnal.^[1] It feeds on the nectar from deep-throated flowers including moonflower (Calonyction aculeatum), morning glories (Convolvulus species), and petunias (Petunia species).^{[2] [3]}

The larva is a large, stout caterpillar with a horn. It feeds during the day and the night on sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), Datura species, and other plants. It is known as a pest of sweet potato.

Distribution

This is mainly a neotropical species, and the adults migrate north to Canada and south to Patagonia and the Falkland Islands. It can also be found in the Galápagos Islands and Hawaii. It has been reported from western Europe, including Portugal and the United Kingdom. It has recently become established in West Africa and Cape Verde, possibly having originated in Brazil.^{[4] [5] [6]}

External links

• Pink-Spotted Hawkmoth. Moths of North America.
• The Pink-spotted Hawkmoth. Silkmoths.bizland.com

Notes and References

1. da Paz. Joicelene Regina Lima. Gimenes. Miriam. Pigozzo. Camila Magalhães. 2013. Three diurnal patterns of anthesis in Ipomoea carnea subsp. fistulosa (Convolvulaceae): Implications for temporal, behavioral and morphological characteristics of pollinators?. Flora – Morphology, Distribution, Functional Ecology of Plants. 208. 2. 138–146. 10.1016/j.flora.2013.02.007. 0367-2530.
2. Halder. Bani. Sultana. Shanjida. Akter. Tangin. Begum. Shefali. 20 July 2018. Life cycle, feeding behavior and nature of damage of sweet potato leaf moth, Agrius cingulata (Fabricius) and Agrius Convolvuli (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). Dhaka University Journal of Biological Sciences. 27. 2. 125–134. 10.3329/dujbs.v27i2.46461. 2408-8501. free.
3. Johnson. Steven D.. Raguso. Robert A.. 7 September 2015. The long-tongued hawkmoth pollinator niche for native and invasive plants in Africa. Annals of Botany. 117. 1. 25–36. 10.1093/aob/mcv137. 26346719. 4701141. 0305-7364. free.
4. Web site: Pittaway . A. R. . 2018 . Agrius Hübner, [1819] ]. Distribution . Sphingidae of the Western Palaearctic . 18 December 2018.
5. Bauer. E.. Traub. B.. July 1980. Zur Macrolepidopterenfauna der Kapverdischen Inseln. On the Macrolepidoptera fauna of the Cape Verde Islands. Entomologische Zeitschrift. Frankfurt am Main. 90. 14. 244–248 ("Part 1: Sphingidae und Arctiidae"). German. Dr. Heinz Schröder for the Society Internationaler Entomologischer Verein. Alfred Kernen Verlag in Stuttgart.
6. The Occurrence Of A Neotropical Hawkmoth In Southern Portugal: Agrius cingulatus. Eduardo Marabuto. Boletín Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa. 38. 2006. 163–166.