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    7890 – Xylophanes tersa,

    Tersa Sphinx 

     Flip Through 

    Species Pages

    All photographs are copywrited property. Please contact us for permission to use.

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    Freshly emerged adult

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    Final instar larva dark form

    Final instar larva green form

    Final instar larva dark form

    Pupae

    General Species Information

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    Host Plant: Rubiaceae, including Smooth buttonplant (Spermacoce glabra), starclusters (Pentas species), Borreria, Manettia; and Bignoniaceae

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    Historical Range: Florida, Texas, Caribbean and Central America

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    Our Experience with this Species: Xylophanes tersa has been a consistantly common species in the Keys. While it us usually not abundant, they are regular in appearance at mercury vaopr lights. We have found them in every month of the year and have been present in almost every location we have surveyed in the Keys.

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    Notes: Larvae of this species can be a pest to penta flower beds as they will quickly defoliate large bushes but this is moreso something that occurs on the mainland of Florida. 

    Distribution Chart

    K. Largo   Marath. Ba. Hond     B.P.K.   No Name  Sck. Isd.    K. West
    Colored box indicates adult of this species has been confirmed on that island

    Adult Flight Chart

      Jan.       Feb.     Mar.     Apr.    May     Jun.      Jul.       Aug.     Sep.     Oct.     Nov.     Dec.
    Colored box indicates adult of this species has been confirmed in that month

    References

    Species Page at: http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu

    Species Page at: http://bugguide.net