Manduca florestan - Hodges#7782
Manduca florestan
This record describes Manduca florestan (species). Recorded family: Sphingidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Bombycoidea
- Family
- Sphingidae (Sphinx Moths)
- Subfamily
- Sphinginae
- Tribe
- Sphingini
- Genus
- Manduca
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Southeastern Arizona south to Brazil.
Seasonal Activity
Adults fly late-June to early August.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval hosts are fiddlewood ( Citharexylum ) and yellow trumpetbush ( Tecoma stans ).
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Manduca florestan. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Manduca florestan - Hodges#7782 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Ethan Kistler; Additional contributions by Jason D. Roberts , Vox Sciurorum , Robert Lord Zimlich , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Manduca florestan - Hodges#7782
How big is Manduca florestan - Hodges#7782?
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Forewing | Forewing length 43-50 mm. |
| Wingspan | Wingspan: 99–110 mm |
Where is Manduca florestan - Hodges#7782 found?
Range: Southeastern Arizona south to Brazil.
What does Manduca florestan - Hodges#7782 eat?
The diet of the Manduca florestan - Hodges#7782 includes Larval hosts are fiddlewood ( Citharexylum ) and yellow trumpetbush ( Tecoma stans )..
When is Manduca florestan - Hodges#7782 active?
Manduca florestan - Hodges#7782: seasonal activity - Adults fly late-June to early August..