Laothoe populeti

Laothoe populeti
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Sphingidae
Genus: Laothoe
Species: L. populeti
Binomial name
Laothoe populeti
(Bienert, 1870)[1]
Synonyms
  • Smerinthus populeti Bienert, 1870
  • Laothoe populeti intermedia Gehlen, 1934
  • Laothoe populeti syriaca Gehlen, 1932

Laothoe populeti is a species of moth of the Sphingidae family. It is found from eastern Turkey and Armenia, through north-eastern Iraq, the Iranian plateau and the central Asian republics of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and north-western China.[2]

The wingspan is 70-120 mm. It is similar to Laothoe populi, but with no violet tint to the grey pigmentation, which is itself paler and faintly pinkish orange. There are individuals with a reddish tone (known as form vera).

There are probably two generations per year. Adults have been recorded from April to May and again from July to August.

The larvae feed on Populus and Salix species.

References