Amorpha juglandis, the walnut sphinx, is the only species in the monotypic taxon moth genus Amorpha, which is in the family Sphingidae, erected by Jacob Hübner in 1809. The species was first described by James Edward Smith in 1797.
Distribution
It is native to North America, where it is distributed from the
Atlantic Ocean to the
Rocky Mountains in Canada and the United States.
Description
The
wingspan is 45–75 mm.
Amorpha juglandis MHNT CUT 2010 0 266 Edgard, St. John Par. Louisiana USA female dorsal.jpg|Female
Amorpha juglandis MHNT CUT 2010 0 266 Edgard, St. John Par. Louisiana female ventral.jpg|Female underside
Amorpha juglandis MHNT CUT 2010 0 266 Sank City Sank Co Wisconsin male dorsal.jpg|Male
Amorpha juglandis MHNT CUT 2010 0 266 Sank City Sank Co Wisconsin male ventral.jpg|Male underside
Biology
The adult moth is
nocturnal, active mainly during the early hours of the night.
The caterpillar feeds on alder ( Alnus), hickory ( Carya), ( Corylus), beech ( Fagus), juglans ( Juglans), and Ostrya ( Ostrya) species. When attacked by a bird, the caterpillar produces a high-pitched whistle by expelling air from pairs of spiracles in its abdomen. This antipredator adaptation may startle the bird, which may then reject the caterpillar.
Further reading
External links
