Blinded Sphinx
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Sphinx moths (also known as hawk moths, and the larvae as hornworms) are a group of long-tongued moths that possess the most acute color vision of any animal. The larvae possess a “horn”, eyespot or hard button on their abdomen. (The tobacco hornworm and tomato hornworm are sphinx moth larvae.) The larva of the Blinded Sphinx moth (Paonias excaecatus) is the most common sphinx moth larva in many of New England’s woods. Its bright green color and granulated skin may camouflage it amongst the leaves of the oak, hop hornbeam, cherry and poplar trees that it eats, but when crawling on the forest floor, as this one was, it’s hard to miss. The larva burrows into the soil in the fall and pupates. An adult moth emerges the following summer and mates, but does not feed. This moth ‘s name refers to the fact that the small blue spot (or “iris”) on the hindwing has no central black spot (or “pupil”) and is therefore “blind.” The spots of the similar Twin-spotted Sphinx (Smerinthus jamaicensis) has a black “pupil” which allows it to see. p.s. Old habits die hard — I will continue to post whenever time allows!September 22, 2011 | Categories: Arthropods, camouflage, Insects, Larvae, Lepidoptera, Metamorphosis, Moths, September | Tags: Blinded Sphinx, Caterpillars, Larvae, Lepidoptera, Metamorphosis, moths, Paonias excaecatus, Smerinthus jamaicensis, sphinx moths, Twin-spotted Sphinx | Leave a comment
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