7841 – Pachylia ficus,

The Ficus Sphinx

 

          The Ficus Sphinx is a handsome moth that is found in South Florida, Texas and throughout Central America. It can be found anywhere that ficus species grow. It used to be common in South Florida, however the recent infestation of the "white fly" that decimated ornamental ficus trees and caused for most of them to be cut down has caused a decrease in numbers for the ficus sphinx. They can still be found occasionally. People most frequently encounter this moth in the pre-pupal larval stage when the larva comes down out of the ficus tree to pupate under ground. The pre-pupal larva is two-tone, with orange on top and green on the bottom.  The larvae are usually all green and turn this two-tone color just before making their chrysalis.