Tantalus sphinx
Aellopos tantalus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Family: Sphingidae
Subfamily: Macroglossinae
Identification: Body is reddish brown with a wide white band across the abdomen. Forewing upperside is reddish brown with a black cell spot and 3 white spots near the gray marginal area. A pale streak runs from the cell spot to the inner margin of the wing. Hindwing upperside is dark brown.
Wing Span: 1 3/4 - 2 1/4 inches (4.5 - 5.7 cm).
Life History: Adults emerge in the morning and fly during the day with a rapid flight. Females lay eggs on the host plant in the late afternoon. Young caterpillars eat new leaf growth and more mature caterpillars eat both new and older growth. Caterpillars pupate in loose cocoons in the leaf litter.
Flight: . All year in the tropics and Florida.
Caterpillar Hosts: Seven year apple (Casasia clusiifolia) in the madder family (Rubiaceae).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including white stopper (Eugenia axillaris) and lantana.
Habitat: Tropical and subtropical lowlands.
Range: Paraguay north through Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies to Florida. There is one record each from New York and southern Michigan.
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.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 30 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 09, 2024
Submitted by: TomObrock
Region: Lee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 10, 2024
Observation date: Aug 31, 2024
Submitted by: plawryniuk
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 07, 2024
Observation date: Mar 07, 2024
Submitted by: Joceb2005
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Mar 07, 2024
Observation date: Mar 01, 2023
Submitted by: bluebird264
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Mar 02, 2023
Observation date: Jul 03, 2016
Submitted by: LLJohnson
Region: Dominican Republic
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 29, 2022
Observation date: Aug 19, 2017
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 05, 2021
Observation date: Jul 01, 2014
Submitted by: DVL
Region: Lee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 06, 2021
Observation date: Jan 06, 2021
Submitted by: Keysgirl
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 11, 2021
Observation date: Mar 08, 2020
Submitted by: Quaker state mothing
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 01, 2020
Observation date: Jul 24, 2019
Submitted by: Brendavent
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 25, 2019
Observation date: Mar 23, 2019
Submitted by: Tatiana Staats
Region: Sarasota County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 09, 2019
Observation date: Dec 02, 2014
Submitted by: Elizabeth Wolfe
Region: Lee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 23, 2019
Observation date: Aug 03, 2017
Submitted by: mellielong
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 05, 2017
Observation date: Apr 07, 2015
Submitted by: tjabour
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Apr 07, 2015
Observation date: Nov 05, 2013
Submitted by: awhite369
Region: Lee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Nov 06, 2013
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: BAMONA
Region:
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: St. Johns County, Florida, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Albany County, New York, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Lee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Sarasota County, Florida, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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