Pink-spotted hawkmoth (Agrius cingulata)

[trehopr1]

I thought I would shed some light  on one of the most spectacularly colored sphinx species one may encounter. This is the Pink-spotted hawkmoth (Agrius cingulata). It's larvae is also known as the Sweetpotato hornworm. This species has a range which stretches roughly from Southern Brazil on northward thru Central America and Mexico including the Southern U.S.
The adults are known to migrate north to Canada and south to Patagonia and the Falkland Islands. It has also been found in the Galapagos Islands and Hawaii as well. Portugal has reported strays as well as parts of West Africa. Although, these occurrences were likely the result of stowaways aboard ships.
In the Southern U.S. states it has proliferated via the widespread planting of the sweetpotato plant. It's large, stout caterpillar feeds both day and night on it's favorite foodplant. Hence, it is regarded as a pest upon sweet potato.The species generally "peters out" much past the state of Kentucky. However, specimens can be picked up in the southern counties of Illinois, Indiana and Michigan (just to name a few). Much beyond that you are only encountering strays.
I have only had the good fortune of coming across this marvelous species on perhaps 10 occasions in southern Illinois. It is a species which generally only begins to make an appearance in early August. The adults are very hardy and are able to tolerate very cool or cold nights and temperatures (40's and 50's); which would probably kill or immobilize most other species. It can be collected as late as the last week of October.
A fellow collector friend elaborated a story of having collected up 9 individuals on one evening of the 26th of October; on location of a well lit monument. He remarked "I went to this location in the hopes of finding some of the small cold-weather moths and instead I found 9 of these large blackish-looking sphinx hanging around the lights and bracing themselves against the stiff cold winds swirling around the monument". He than said "absolutely nothing else was there". Not even the little moths which he had come to collect !
I believe from my personal observations (based upon specimens which I have collected); that there are 2 color forms exhibited within the species.The forms are somewhat subtle and yet can be discerned across several specimens. My 2 finest "wild collected" specimens (above) exhibit the 2 forms.
You will notice that on the above specimen the forewings are of a mostly mottled grey appearance with a very few short black dashes present. The lower specimen has forewings which have a centrally located "dark patch" in place of where mere dashes exist on other specimens.I have never personally read of the species having any color forms but, I can also see how this could easily be overlooked !
A simply magnificent species of sphinx with few rivals in terms of beauty...

[nomad]

Excellent account of this hawkmoth.

[Paul K]

A.cingulata is indeed very beautiful sphingid. I was lucky to collect one in French Guiana while I was there for moth collecting in 2004.
I have never seen one in Southern Ontario-Canada.

There are few other species in this genus which are inhabit Palaearctic and Oriental/Australian Regions.
In Thailand I collected A.convolvuli which is very similar but has no pink spot on hindwings. It is also known from Europe and perhaps records of A.cingulata from there might be mistaken with A.convolvuli as nova days many records are based on sightings and photographs not on actual specimen.

Paul