''Cautethia grotei'', or Grote's sphinx, is a
moth of the family
Sphingidae. It was described by
Henry Edwards in 1882.
Distribution
It resides in the US state of
Florida and the
islands of the Caribbean
Almost all of the Caribbean islands are in the Caribbean Sea, with only a few in inland lakes. The largest island is Cuba. Other sizable islands include Hispaniola, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago. Some of the smaller islands are re ...
.
Description
The
wingspan is 28–40 mm.
Biology
There are multiple generations per year in Florida. Adults nectar at various flowers, including ''
Asystasia gangetica
''Asystasia gangetica'' is a species of plant in the family Acanthaceae. It is commonly known as the Chinese violet, coromandelPlants of Hawaii: ''Asystasia gangetica'': http://www.hear.org/starr/images/species/?q=asystasia+gangetica&o=plants, r ...
'' and ''
Dracaena fragrans''.
Host plants
Larvae have been recorded feeding on various
Rubiaceae species, including milkberry (''
Chiococca alba''), black torch (''
Erithalis
''Erithalis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. The genus is found from southern Florida to tropical America.
Species
* '' Erithalis angustifolia'' DC.
* '' Erithalis diffusa'' Correll
* ''Erithalis fruticosa'' L.
* '' Eri ...
fruticosa'') and common snowberry (''
Symphoricarpos albus
''Symphoricarpos albus'' is a species of flowering plant in the honeysuckle family known by the common name common snowberry. Native to North America, it is browsed by some animals and planted for ornamental and ecological purposes, but is poiso ...
'').
Subspecies
*''Cautethia grotei grotei'' (Florida, Cuba, the Bahamas, Cayman Islands and possibly Hispaniola and Jamaica. Strays have been found up to Tennessee, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York and even New Hampshire)
*''Cautethia grotei apira''
Jordan, 1940 (Cayman Islands)
*''Cautethia grotei hilaris''
Jordan, 1940 (Cayman Islands)
References
External links
"Grote's sphinx ''Cautethia grotei'' Hy. Edwards, 1882" ''Butterflies and Moths of North America''. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
''Sphingidae of the Americas''.
Cautethia
Moths described in 1882
Taxa named by Henry Edwards
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