Aellopos clavipes

Description

Aellopos clavipes, also known as the clavipes sphinx, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. It lives mainly in Central America but ranges from Venezuela to California, Arizona, and Texas in the United States. The body is dark brown with a wide white band across the abdomen. The wings are dark brown. The forewing has a black cell spot and three white spots near the pale brown marginal area. Adults are on wing from May to December in Costa Rica. There are probably three main generations with adults on wing in December, from April to May and in September. The larvae feed on various Rubiaceae species, including Randia rhagocarpa, Randia monantha, Randia aculeata, Guettarda macrosperma and Genipa americana. Pupation takes place in shallow underground chambers. The genus Aellopos consists of large day-flying moths in the family Sphingidae. It was first described by Jacob Hübner in 1819. Species in this genus occur from Maine in the United States through Central America and down to Argentina and Uruguay in South America.