GB: Silver-striped Hawkmoth, F: Sphinx Phaenix, D: Grosse Weinschwärmer, RU: Bolshoi vinnyi Brazhnik, NL: Wijnstokpijlstaart, H: csíkos szender, E: esfinge de la parra, PL: Zmrocznik winniczak, FI: Etelänkiitäjä.
Sphinx celerio Linnaeus, 1758, Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1: 491.Type locality: Unspecified [Europe].
Palaeotropical.
Wingspan: 60--80mm. Very similar in appearance to H. osiris, but distinguished by its smaller size and black venation on the hindwing. There is greater variation, however, in H. celerio. In f. pallida Tutt, a pale terracotta ground coloration is present; in f. rosea Closs, the wings are suffused with red and, in f. brunnea Tutt, with deep brown. In f. augustei Trimoul, the black markings are so extensive as to cover the entire wings; in f. luecki Closs, the silver markings are absent and in f. sieberti Closs, the oblique stripe on the forewing is yellowish instead of silver.
No particular habitat preference is shown by the adult which may occur wherever flower-beds are plentiful; however, for breeding colonies to become established, the presence of cultivated or wild grape vines is essential.
Its cryptic coloration, whatever the variation, makes this species difficult to see as it rests during daylight hours on stones, walls, tree-trunks, or amongst foliage. At dusk it takes flight in search of tubular nectar flowers. Although active for only short periods, its powerful and rapid flight enables it to cover great distances; it is frequently attracted to light. Pairing commences a few hours after dusk and lasts only a short time, the pair remaining in copula 1--3 hours.
Migrant and multivoltine in its resident range, throughout the year, with up to five well-defined generations. In the Mediterranean area, two or three migrant-induced generations are normal between June and October; individuals from these migrate farther north, to be found during August, September and October.
OVUM: Variable in size and shape, ranging from near spherical to distinctly oval; clear, glossy, bluish green, assuming a greenish yellow hue prior to emergence. Laid singly on both the upper and lower surfaces of leaves near a growing tip, with rarely more than one to a shoot. The lowest shoots, usually of a vine growing along a wall or fence or along the ground, are preferred. Incubation lasts for 5--10 days.
LARVA: Full-fed, 80--90mm. Dimorphic: brown or green.
On hatching, the 4mm-long larva is pale yellow with a disproportionately long black horn. It immediately consumes its eggshell, then moves off to find a resting place on the lower surface of a leaf. A period of several hours elapses before any plant material is consumed, after which the body becomes glossy green. In the second instar, eye-spots appear on the first and second abdominal segments; the long dark horn becomes bifurcated at the tip and waves up and down as the larva moves. In the third instar the eye-spots assume their final coloration and a yellow, dorso-lateral line appears, running from thoracic segment 3 to the base of the horn. In the final instar most assume a mid- to dark brown coloration, while a few remain green. However, unlike most other species there is very little change in colour prior to pupation, even in the green form.
As with most larvae exhibiting anterior eye-spots, the head is retracted when the larva is alarmed, expanding the large eye-spots on the first abdominal segment. When feeding, it rarely consumes the whole of a leaf; shoots with quarter- or half-eaten leaves often indicate the presence of a larva. Whereas young larvae may be found beneath a leaf, fully-grown specimens usually rest away from the feeding area, farther down the stem.
In southern Europe, most occur from July to September; in more northerly localities, during late summer. In the coastal region of Saudi Arabia it occurs throughout the year (Pittaway, 1979b).
Major Hostplants. Vitis and Parthenocissus spp. An occasional pest of grapevines (Bodenheimer, 1926).
Minor Hostplants. Galium, Fuchsia, Epilobium, Beta, Impatiens, Convolvulus, Scrophularia, Verbascum, Syringa, Rumex, Begonia, Arum, Mirabilis, Cissus, Zantedeschia and Caladium. In the Azores, Zantedeschia aethiopica is commonly utilized. (The houseplant, Cissus antarctica (kangaroo vine), is a very good substitute hostplant during the winter months.)
PUPA: 45--51mm. Pale greyish brown with extensive dark brown specks. Proboscis projecting, laterally compressed and cariniform. Cremaster long, glossy, terminating in a very sharp point. Formed in a loosely spun brown cocoon, either on the ground amongst litter, or just below the surface of the soil. Does not overwinter in the region.
Tachinidae: Drino (Zygobothria) atropivora (Robineau-Desvoidy), D. vicina (Zetterstedt).
A notable migrant in most years from tropical Africa and India to the western Palaearctic region. In warm years, new colonies may even be established in North Africa and Europe, so the delineation between resident and migrant ranges cannot be clearly defined. It is, however, resident in the Canary Islands, and probably also in the Azores and along the Atlantic coast of Morocco. It is certainly resident in many areas of the Levant and the Arabian Peninsula (Pittaway, 1979b), and Egypt (Badr et al., 1985).
Extra-limital range. Tropical Africa, Asia and Australia, with occasional records from northern New Zealand.
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