Erinnyis crameri

Description

Erinnyis crameri, or Cramer's sphinx, is a small member of the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by William Schaus in 1898. It lives from northern South America, through Central America, and into the lower regions of the United States (Texas and Florida). Its wingspan is between ​31⁄4 and ​33⁄4 inches (82–95 mm). The upperside of the abdomen is gray, without black bands, and the underside does not have black spots. The upperside of the forewing is dark brown and it may have pale yellow-brown patches at the tip and along the inner edge. The upperside of the hindwing is dull orange with a narrow black border. Adults are on wing year round in the tropics and southern Florida. Adults feed on the nectar of flowers, including Saponaria officinalis. The larva of this species feeds on several species of the family Apocynaceae, including Rauwolfia ligustrina, Rauwolfia tetraphylla and Stemmadenia obovata.