Attributes of Erinnyis obscura
Obscure sphinx
Erinnyis obscura (Fabricius, 1775)
Family: Sphingidae
Subfamily: Macroglossinae
Identification: Upperside of the female forewing is dark gray to brownish gray with black markings on the basal half and near the center of the costa; some females are nearly all black. Upperside of the male forewing is pale gray with black markings and a black line in the center running from the base to about three-fourths of the wing length. In both sexes, the hindwing upperside is orange with a narrow black border.
Wing Span: 2 3/16 - 2 9/16 inches (5.6 - 6.5 cm).
Life History: Adults begin feeding at sunset. Caterpillars pupate in cocoons spun on the soil surface.
Flight: . Several flights throughout the year in the tropics, south Florida, and South Texas. One flight from August-October northward.
Caterpillar Hosts: Papaya (Carica papaya), various plants in the dogbane family (Apocynaceae) including Philibertia and Cynanchum species, and various plants in the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae) including Poinsettia.
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Tropical and subtropical lowlands.
Range: Uruguay north through Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies to Florida, Mississippi, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and southern California. Has strayed to Arkansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Pennsylvania.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Taxonomy Notes:
Images of Erinnyis obscura
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The map below displays all verified sighting records in the BAMONA database for this species. Each record is indicated with a yellow dot. The orange dots on the map provide access to information about the 400 most recently verified sightings of this species. In some instances, there are several records at the same location. Use the table view to access these records.
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The fifty most recently verified sightings are below. See more recently verified sightings of all species.
| Observation Date | Submitter | Region |
Verified Date |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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January 26, 2013 | jacobt | Comal County, Texas, United States | April 13, 2013 | Details |
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October 09, 1971 | stomlins701 | Bexar County, Texas, United States | April 05, 2013 | Details |
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May 27, 2012 | jeffmci9 | Texas, Travis County, United States | March 21, 2013 | Details |
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October 30, 2012 | rseidler | Hidalgo County, Texas, United States | March 18, 2013 | Details |
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September 22, 2006 | tjantscher | Story County, Iowa, United States | January 14, 2013 | Details |
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August 31, 2012 | tjantscher | Linn County, Iowa, United States | January 14, 2013 | Details |
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October 16, 2012 | tjantscher | Lee County, Iowa, United States | January 14, 2013 | Details |
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November 29, 2012 | Russell Weir | Texas, San Patricio County, United States | November 29, 2012 | Details |
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October 22, 2012 | stanggirl70 | Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States | November 25, 2012 | Details |
| October 10, 2008 | legacy.reporter (Marilyn Jones) | Texas, Mason County, United States | April 08, 2009 | Details | |
| January 01, 1913 | legacy.reporter | St. Louis City County, Missouri, United States | March 11, 2009 | Details | |
| September 04, 1977 | legacy.reporter (Adams, James) | Clay County, Missouri, United States | March 11, 2009 | Details | |
| September 18, 1996 | legacy.reporter (Smart, Glen) | Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, United States | March 11, 2009 | Details | |
| September 11, 1947 | legacy.reporter (Craig, W.S.) | Boone County, Missouri, United States | March 11, 2009 | Details | |
| September 29, 1981 | legacy.reporter | Boone County, Missouri, United States | March 11, 2009 | Details | |
| October 14, 1974 | legacy.reporter | Lewis County, Missouri, United States | March 11, 2009 | Details | |
| September 17, 1976 | legacy.reporter | Lewis County, Missouri, United States | March 11, 2009 | Details | |
| September 09, 1966 | legacy.reporter (Heitzman, J. Richard) | McDonald County, Missouri, United States | March 11, 2009 | Details | |
| September 11, 1967 | legacy.reporter (Heitzman, J. Richard) | Barry County, Missouri, United States | March 11, 2009 | Details | |
| September 14, 1972 | legacy.reporter (Heitzman, J. Richard) | Jackson County, Missouri, United States | March 11, 2009 | Details | |
| September 21, 1973 | legacy.reporter (Letsinger, Rae) | Jasper County, Missouri, United States | March 11, 2009 | Details | |
| August 30, 1986 | legacy.reporter (Letsinger, Rae) | Jasper County, Missouri, United States | March 11, 2009 | Details | |
| September 03, 1975 | legacy.reporter (Sheeley, R.D.) | Pemiscot County, Missouri, United States | March 11, 2009 | Details | |
| July 03, 1990 | legacy.reporter | Wright County, Missouri, United States | March 11, 2009 | Details | |
| January 20, 1983 | legacy.reporter (James P. Brock) | Pima County, Arizona, United States | January 28, 2009 | Details | |
| August 01, 1989 | legacy.reporter (Clifford D. Ferris) | Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States | January 28, 2009 | Details | |
| October 02, 1979 | Tom Middagh (Tom Middagh) | Nobles County, Minnesota, United States | July 10, 2008 | Details | |
| January 01, 1970 | legacy.reporter (Richard B. Dominick Moth and Butterfly Collection) | Charleston County, South Carolina, United States | December 10, 2007 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Cochise County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Gila County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Maricopa County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Pima County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Pinal County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Yavapai County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Yuma County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Los Angeles County, California, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Riverside County, California, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | San Bernardino County, California, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | San Diego County, California, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Santa Barbara County, California, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Ventura County, California, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Otero County, Colorado, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Collier County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Duval County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Escambia County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Highlands County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Lee County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Martin County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details |
