Proserpinus flavofasciata
Encyclopedia
The Yellow-banded Day Sphinx (Proserpinus flavofasciata) is a species of hawk moth which occurs at the edges of, and in clearings in, boreal and mountain forests across Canada
, as far south as Maine
and Massachusetts
in the east and as far north as Alaska
in the west. It is much commoner in the west of its range.
The adult moth is a day-flying bumblebee
mimic
with a plump black body with yellow markings. The black forewings are marked with a pale band and the hindwings, also black, have a prominent yellow band. It flies in late spring and early summer. The larva
develops through several instar
s which are dramatically different in appearance. The penultimate instar is pale green with two pale stripes along the sides with a short horn at the tail end. The last instar is brown with black spots and no longer has a horn, just a white-edged black button. The larva feeds on various Epilobium
and Rubus
spp. The species overwinters as a pupa
in the soil.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, as far south as Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
and Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
in the east and as far north as Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
in the west. It is much commoner in the west of its range.
The adult moth is a day-flying bumblebee
Bumblebee
A bumble bee is any member of the bee genus Bombus, in the family Apidae. There are over 250 known species, existing primarily in the Northern Hemisphere although they are common in New Zealand and in the Australian state of Tasmania.Bumble bees are social insects that are characterised by black...
mimic
Mimic
In evolutionary biology, mimicry is the similarity of one species to another which protects one or both. This similarity can be in appearance, behaviour, sound, scent and even location, with the mimics found in similar places to their models....
with a plump black body with yellow markings. The black forewings are marked with a pale band and the hindwings, also black, have a prominent yellow band. It flies in late spring and early summer. The larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
develops through several instar
Instar
An instar is a developmental stage of arthropods, such as insects, between each molt , until sexual maturity is reached. Arthropods must shed the exoskeleton in order to grow or assume a new form. Differences between instars can often be seen in altered body proportions, colors, patterns, or...
s which are dramatically different in appearance. The penultimate instar is pale green with two pale stripes along the sides with a short horn at the tail end. The last instar is brown with black spots and no longer has a horn, just a white-edged black button. The larva feeds on various Epilobium
Epilobium
Epilobium is a genus in the family Onagraceae, containing about 160-200 species of flowering plants with a worldwide distribution. They are generally abundant in the subarctic, temperate and subantarctic regions, whereas in the subtropics and tropics they are restricted to the cool montane biomes,...
and Rubus
Rubus
Rubus is a large genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, subfamily Rosoideae. Raspberries, blackberries, and dewberries are common, widely distributed members of the genus. Most of these plants have woody stems with prickles like roses; spines, bristles, and gland-tipped hairs are...
spp. The species overwinters as a pupa
Pupa
A pupa is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation. The pupal stage is found only in holometabolous insects, those that undergo a complete metamorphosis, going through four life stages; embryo, larva, pupa and imago...
in the soil.