Bug FAQClavipes Sphinx
Aellopos clavipes · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Sphingidae
Also called: Clavipes Sphinx Moth
Aellopos clavipes, the clavipes sphinx, is a moth in the Sphingidae family. It is found mainly in Central America and also occurs from Venezuela up to California, Arizona, and Texas. The caterpillars eat several Rubiaceae plants such as Randia species, Guettarda macrosperma, and Genipa americana.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Aellopos clavipes is a moth of the family Sphingidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It lives mainly in Central America but its range extends from Venezuela to the southwestern United States.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on various Rubiaceae species, including several Randia plants, Guettarda macrosperma, and Genipa americana.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Pupation occurs in shallow chambers just below the soil surface.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
In Costa Rica, adults are on the wing from May through December.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its distribution includes Central America and parts of the United States such as California, Arizona, and Texas.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 4 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Arizona, Oklahoma, California.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are adult clavipes sphinx moths active?
Adults appear in three main periods: December, April-May, and September, and in Costa Rica they are seen from May to December.
Source: Wikipedia
What do clavipes sphinx caterpillars eat?
The caterpillars feed on several Rubiaceae plants such as Randia species, Guettarda macrosperma, and Genipa americana.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Sphingidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aellopos_clavipes
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-28 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-28.