Kingdom Animalia Class Insecta Family Erebidae | Phylum Arthropoda Order Lepidoptera Subfamily Erebinae | |
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Sphingomorpha chlorea (sundowner moth) is a species of moth in the family Erebidae, that is native to Africa and southern Asia. It is a fruit-piercing moth and a notorious pest in orchards. The fruit is pierced while performing a vertical and rhythmic movement of the head.
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Description
Wingspan is about 60-84mm. Head ochreous white, the basal joint of palpi dark brown. Thorax dark brown above with a broad ochreous-white stripe on vertex. Abdomen dark brown above, with a series of dorsal ochreous-white spots. Fore wings reddish-brown with dark stria. There is a pale patch at base of inner margin and an indistinct antemedial angulate line. An irregularly waved medial line with pale outer edge and somewtimes tinged with purple and rufous. Some vinous patches beyond it. Reniform is a narrow lunule with a vinous dash beyond it. There is a crenulate postmedial line found with medial black lunules on it and one towards inner margin, and joined by a crenulate line from near apex. A marginal black specks series also present. Hind wings are fuscous brown where the base and a diffused medial irregular band are pale. An ochreous patch with black strai on it at center of outer margin. Cilia pale. Ventral side pale with fuscous submarginal band towards inner margin of each wing.
Ecology
The adults are attracted to fermented fruit and alcoholic drinks. Its larval food plants include Acacia karoo, Thespesia garckeana, Newtonia buchananii, Sclerocarya birrea, Acacia xanthophloea, Acacia hirtella, Sclerocarya caffra, Burkea africana, Acacia tortilis, Citrus, Malus pumila, Pisum sativum, Thespesia.