Found a Virginia Creeper Sphinx Larva

While collecting on the Monkey Run Trail here in Ithaca, NY, we found a Virginia creeper sphinx (Darapsa myron) fourth instar larva on grapevine (Vitis).

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We finally find our first sphinx in Ithaca - the Virginia creeper sphinx, Darapsa myron, supposedly one of the most common sphinx moths around here. Unlike back at home where there was literally only a single sphinx you could actually find (Smerinthus ophthalmica), there are probably over a dozen of them here. At least four or five of them (all Macroglossinae of course) feed on grape and related vines. It all makes since now that we've explored this place why there are so many grape feeders here - the vines grow wildly all over the place unlike back home in Albany, California where there were only cultivated grapes grown in gardens. Up until now, though, we hadn't found any larvae on the many grape and Virginia creepers around campus and many have minimal feeding damage. 

Finally, today while collecting on the Monkey Run Trail (as part of the lab for our entomology class), we walked through a forested area and came across a large but not particularly succulent grapevine. At first we hardly bothered checking it since we were losing hope after having already checked many vines with no result, but when we flipped open one of the leaves, there sitting right in the center of it  was a stunning fourth instar Darapsa myron larva preparing to molt. It was an incredible find for us, especially since it was the first time seeing this species. 

The larva is a granulated bright green with two faint yellow dorsal stripes and transverse lateral stripes - a pretty typical patterning for many sphinx larvae. The caudal horn is well developed unlike in some similar grape feeders such as Eumorpha pandorus and Sphecodina abbottii, but like these species and many Macroglossinae sphinx, the thorax is plump and enlarged, allowing the larva to retract its head into it. Perhaps the most unique marking of the larva are the row of red and yellow spots on the dorsum. As far as size goes, this species is a small one. This larva at fourth instar is only about 2 cm and thus probably won't get too large in the final instar. Big or small, though, this is still a great species that we're very fortunate to have found. 

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Authors
Alan Liang

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