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Pupa found, can anyone ID it #735252

Asked December 12, 2020, 2:40 PM EST

We believe it to be a moth pupa. Palm beach county in the garden. About 4 inches long . Does anyone know what kind. Thank you

Palm Beach County Florida

Expert Response

Hi,
 What you have is a beautiful Ello Sphinx moth pupa, Erinnyis ello, https://bugguide.net/node/view/595325/bgpage. It is found year-round in South Florida, and will feed on a variety of shrubs and plants including papaya, yucca and poinsettia.  In the adult stage, the hind wings are the ones that are pretty. The adult moth will blend in with the environment with its drab forewings, but then open the wings to give a burst of color from the hindwings.  If you would like, you can document your find at https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Erinnyis-ello or on iNat, inaturalist.org.

The caterpillar is known as the cassava hornworm.


Enjoy watching it emerge,








Rebecca Baldwin Replied December 14, 2020, 10:41 AM EST

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