White-lined Sphinx Moth
Sphingidae  Macroglossinae
Hyles lineata
Immatures

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Larvae from the Female collected by John Richards
Fourth Instar - Black Form - 15 April 2015
black 4th instar
                  dorsal


Fourth Instar - Black Form - 15 April 2015
lateral 


Fourth Instar - Green Form  - 15 April 2015
dorsal

Fourth Instar - Green Form  - 15 April 2015
green


Fourth Instar - Medium Form  - 15 April 2015
2601



Fourth Instar - Medium Form  - 15 April 2015
2602



Fifth Instar - Green Form  - molted  <7 A.M. 17 April 2015 - 37 mm
2609


Fifth Instar - Green Form  - molted < 7 A.M. 17 April 2015 - 37 mm
2607



Fifth Instar - Medium Form  - Head
head



Fifth Instar - molted 17 April 2015 - < 7 A.M.  Medium Form - 48 mm 
2614



Fifth Instar - molted 17 April 2015 - < 7 A.M.  Medium Form - 48 mm 
2615


Fifth Instar Black Colored Form - 22 April 2015 - maximum 82 mm

black 5th instar


Fifth Instar Black Colored Form - 22 April 2015 - maximum 82 mm
2669

 

Ova - From Female That Emerged 20 May 2015
Oviposited on 27 May 2015

ova


#1 First Instar emerged 31 May 2015 - 3 days as first instar
1st
                                                          instar


#1 Second Instar - 3 June 2015
2nd
                                                          instar


#1 Third Instar - 5 June 2015
3rd
                                                          instar


Fourth Instar 9 June 2015
4th

Photo Details - ŠNicky Davis

John Richards caught the female at a mercury vapor sheet on 30 March 2015, Rockville, Washington Co., Utah.  He placed her in a paper sack and she oviposited 1-3 April 2015 - 192 ova. John Gave me five caterpillars to rear.

Photos - First Set
Fourth Instar dorsal and lateral- Black Form - April 15, 2015  - 32 mm long
Fourth Instar dorsal and lateral- Green Form - April 15, 2015 - 34 mm long
Fourth Instar dorsal and lateral- Medium Colored Form - April 15, 2015 36 mm long
Fifth Instar  dorsal and lateral - Green Form - April 17, 2005 - 37 mm long
Fifth Instar dorsal and lateral - Medium Colored Form - April 17, 2015 - at 48 mm long -
Fifth Instar dorsal and lateral - Black Colored Form - April 22, 2015 - Maximum length was 82 mm

These caterpillars molted to fifth instar on the 17th and 18th of April and purged excess liquid  after only four to five days.

On 20 April #2 medium form fifth instar caterpillar was 82 mm when walking.  It purged excess liquid on 21 April and refused to eat and was then measured at 72 mm.   The green form also purged liquid on the 21st of April and both were continuously walking around their containers.  They were placed in containers with 2 1/2 inches of sand with a covering of lizard litter where they continued to walk around their containers and refused food.  One did some digging into the sand, tossing it to the side, but still did not settle down.  The next day I transferred them to containers with a mix of sand and peat moss with just a bit of the lizard litter. After walking around for hours, they finally burrowed into the mixture and pupated. The other caterpillars exhibited this same behaviour.
Pupae development can be viewed at  Lineata Pupae

On 7 May 2015 four of the five pupae showed darkening of the eyespot, indicating development of the adults.

May 15, 2015, #2 Male Emerged.  See photo at  http://www.wildutah.us/html/butterflies_moths/moths/h_moth_sphinx_white-lined.html

The adult moths emerged and one female mated and oviposited 18 ova in a brown paper lunch bag on 27 May 2015 at 8 P.M. and she was released the following day.  Six ova hatched on 31 May 2015 and the rest collapsed. 

Photos - 2nd Set

Ova - laid 27 May 2015 - 4 days as ova
First Instar - emerged 31 May 2015 - 3 days as first instar
Second Instar - Molted to 2nd instar 3 June 2015 - 2 to 2 1/2 days as 2nd instar
Third Instar - Molted to  3rd instar 5 June 2015 - 4 days as third instar
Fourth Instar - Molted to 4th instar 8 June 2015 - 3 days as fourth instar

Fifth Instar - 4-5 days before walking off plant to pupate

Family Tree
Family: Sphingidae, Genus: Hyles, Species: Lineata

Other
wingspan 2 7/16 - 3 9/16 inches (6.3-9cm)   forewing top is dark olive to brown with paler brown along the costa and outer margin, a narrow tan band running from the wing tip to the base, and white streaks along the veins. Hindwing upperside is black with a reddish pink median band, Caterpillar Hosts: willow weed (Epilobium), four o'clock (Mirabilis), apple (Malus), evening primrose (Oenothera), elm (Ulmus), grape (Vitis), tomato (Lycopersicon), purslane (Portulaca), and Fuschia. Adult Food: Nectar from a variety of flowers.  "Butterflies and Moths of America"

These fed on Evening Primrose - Oenothera speciosa and Ornamental Pear leaves - Pyrus calleryana

Chinese Elm - Ulmus parvifolia  leaves were offered and rejected as were Tomato - Lycopersicon leaves.
John Richards fed his on Evening Primrose - Oenothera speciosa and Apple - Malus
A primrose flower given to one of the fifth instars was enthusiastically consumed.

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