Eumorpha achemon

Eumorpha achemon, the Achemon sphinx, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by Dru Drury in 1773.

Achemon sphinx
Conservation status
Apparently Secure  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Sphingidae
Genus:	Eumorpha
Species:	E. achemon
Binomial name
Eumorpha achemon (Drury, 1773)[1]
Synonyms
Sphinx achemon Drury, 1773 Sphinx crantor Cramer, 1777 Pholus achemon trigon Gehlen, 1926

Distribution

It is native to North America, where it is known from most of the United States, southern Canada, and northern Mexico.^[2] It is rare or absent in the Pacific Northwest, Great Basin, and Southeastern United States except Florida.^[3]

Description

The wingspan is 87–97 mm. It can be distinguished from all other Eumorpha species by the hindwing upperside being almost uniformly pale pink from the base to the diffuse, dark brown submarginal band.

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  Eumorpha achemon ♂
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  Eumorpha achemon ♂ △

Larvae are of three forms: light green, reddish orange, and tan to brown.

Biology

Adults are on wing from June to August in one generation in the northern part of the range. There are two generations with adults on wing from May to August in the south. Adults feed on the nectar of various flowers, including Lonicera japonica, Petunia × atkinsiana, Philadelphus coronarius, and Phlox species. It is one of five^[4] main pollinators of the rare orchid Platanthera praeclara.^[3]

They are known to feed on Parthenocissus quinquefolia and Ampelopsis species. They are often found on wild and cultivated Vitaceae, including grapes, and they can sometimes be found in vineyards feeding on the leaves.^[3]