Moth spp. (REGUA photo library)
Moth spp. (REGUA photo library)

Moths of REGUA

There is a huge diversity of moths found at REGUA, most of which remain unidentified. Over the last few years we have been photographing and cataloguing them in order to build a comprehensive database of the species present and their flight-times. Progress is hampered by the lack of any field guides, however we are slowly building a comprehensive image library of the species present.

Click here for photos of unidentifed moths.

Hawkmoths

Since September 2004 a few visitors have been photographing the larger moths that have been attracted by a mercury-vapour lamp either set outside the Lodge or near the office. Whilst most of these moths remain unidentified, many of the hawkmoths can be named by reference to the excellent book Sphingidae Mundi by Bernard D'Abrera and to various websites (esp. www.silkmoths.bizland.com/SphBrazil.htm).

It is thought that about 214 hawkmoth species occur in Brazil, of which at least 100 occur in the Mata Atlântica region. To date we have identified and photographed 33 species, all of which are listed and illustrated below. There is no doubt that this list will grow as our identification skills improve, observations are made throughout the year and attempts are made at catching moths at higher altitudes and in different habitats.

Particular thanks are due to Dr Chris Perrins, Dr John Feltwell and Kevin Thornton who have submitted photos for identification, and to Dr Alexandre Soares from the Museu Nacional - UFRJ who has helped with the identification of the trickier species. We are keen to build a comprehensive database of the species occurring at REGUA and their flight-times, so if you have any photos that you would like identified, or you have records to submit then please send them to Alan Martin at alanmart@globalnet.co.uk.

Click on a photo below to enlarge.

Family: Sphingidae (Hawkmoths)
Agrius cingulatus (Photo by Alan Martin) Cocytius duponchel (Photo by Alan Martin) Neococytius cluentius (Photo by Alan Martin) Manduca diffisa petuniae (Photo by Alan Martin) Manduca leucospila (Photo by Alan Martin)
1. Agrius cingulatus 2. Cocytius duponchel 3. Neococytius cluentius 4. Manduca diffisa petuniae 5. Manduca leucospila
Manduca lucetius lucetius (Photo by Alan Martin) Manduca rustica rustica (Photo by John Feltwell) Protambulyx astygonus (Photo by Chris Perrins) Adhemarius gannascus gannascus (Photo by Alan Martin) Adhemarius palmeri (Photo by Alan Martin)
6. Manduca lucetius lucetius 7. Manduca rustica rustica 8. Protambulyx astygonus 9. Adhemarius gannascus gannascus 10. Adhemarius palmeri
Psudosphinx tetrio (Photo by Alan Martin) Isognathus australis (Photo by Kevin Thornton) Isognathus swainsoni (Photo by Chris Perrins) Erinnyis alope alope (Photo by Alan Martin) Errinnyis crameri (Photo by Alan Martin)
11. Psudosphinx tetrio 12. Isognathus australis 13. Isognathus swainsoni 14. Erinnyis alope alope 15. Errinnyis crameri
Erinnyis ello ello (Photo by Alan Martin) Erinnyis ello ello (Photo by Alan Martin) Pachylia ficus (Photo by Alan Martin) Pachylioides resumens (Photo by Kevin Thornton) Madoryx pluto pluto (Photo by Alan Martin)
16a. Erinnyis ello ello 16b. Erinnyis ello ello 17. Pachylia ficus 18. Pachylioides resumens 19. Madoryx pluto pluto
Callionima falcifera (Photo by Alan Martin) Callionima inuus (Photo by Alan Martin) Callionima nomius (Photo by Kevin Thornton) Aleron iphis (Photo by Kevin Thornton) Enyo lugubris lugubris (Photo by Alan Martin)
20. Callionima falcifera 21. Callionima inuus 22. Callionima nomius 23. Aleron iphis 24. Enyo lugubris lugubris
Enyo ocepete (Photo by Kevin Thornton) Nycerx riscus (Photo by Kevin Thornton) Eumorpha obliqua orientalis (Photo by Chris Perrins) Xylophanes anubus anubus (Photo by John Feltwell) Xylophanes chiron nechus (Photo by Alan Martin)
25. Enyo ocepete 26. Nycerx riscus 27. Eumorpha obliqua orientalis 28. Xylophanes anubus anubus 29. Xylophanes chiron nechus
Xylophanes hydrata (Photo by John Feltwell) Xylophanes loelia (Photo by Alan Martin) Xylophanes porcus continentalis (Photo by Kevin Thornton) Xylophanes tersa (Photo by Alan Martin)  
30. Xylophanes hydrata 31. Xylophanes loelia 32. Xylophanes porcus continentalis 33. Xylophanes tersa  

List updated April 2008

Family: Sphingidae (Hawkmoths)   Photo
Agrius cingulatus Fabricius, 1775 1
Cocytius duponchel Poey, 1832 2
Neococytius cluentius Cramer, 1775 3
Manduca diffisa petuniae Boisduval, 1875 4
Manduca leucospila Rothschild & Jordan, 1903 5
Manduca lucetius lucetius Cramer, 1780 6
Manduca rustica rustica Fabricius, 1775 7
Protambulyx astygonus Boisduval, 1875 8
Adhemarius gannascus gannascus Stoll, 1790 9
Adhemarius palmeri Boisduval, 1875 10
Psudosphinx tetrio Linne, 1771 11
Isognathus australis B P Clark, 1917 12
Isognathus swainsoni C Felder, 1862 13
Erinnyis alope alope Drury, 1770 14
Errinnyis crameri Schaus, 1898 15
Erinnyis ello ello Linne, 1758 16a, 16b
Pachylia ficus Linne, 1758 17
Pachylioides resumens Walker, 1856 18
Madoryx pluto pluto Cramer, 1779 19
Callionima falcifera Gehlen, 1943 20
Callionima inuus Rothschild & Jordan, 1903 21
Callionima nomius Walker, 1856 22
Aleron iphis Walker, 1856 23
Enyo lugubris lugubris Linne, 1771 24
Enyo ocepete Linne, 1758 25
Nycerx riscus Schaus, 1890 26
Eumorpha obliqua orientalis Daniel, 1949 27
Xylophanes anubus anubus Cramer, 1777 28
Xylophanes chiron nechus Cramer, 1777 29
Xylophanes hydrata Rothschild & Jordan, 1903 30
Xylophanes loelia Druce, 1878 31
Xylophanes porcus continentalis Rothschild & Jordan, 1903 32
Xylophanes tersa Linne, 1771 33