Fauna
Insect · GBIF taxon 5124250

Mournful Sphinx

Enyo lugubris

Also known as Mournful Hawkmoth

Mournful sphinx moths feature rich dark chocolate-brown wings with distinctly scalloped outer edges and a subtle pale spot on each forewing. Adults hover agilely before deep-throated flowers at dusk and night to sip nectar using a long proboscis. Their caterpillars feed primarily on plants in the grape family, blending seamlessly with host foliage before dropping to pupate in subterranean silk cocoons.

NocturnalMothPollinator
Mournful Sphinx reference1 / 7
Licensed reference(c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Judy Gallagher · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Floral nectar
  • Grapevine foliage (larvae)
  • Cissus vine leaves (larvae)
Predators
  • Bats
  • Insectivorous birds
  • Spiders
ThreatsPesticide application, artificial light pollution, and habitat disruption.
HabitatsSubtropical woodlands, forest edges, coastal scrub, gardens, and agricultural fields.
Life span1–2 months total (adults live 1–3 weeks)
Classification
  1. OrderLepidoptera
  2. FamilySphingidae
  3. GenusEnyo
  4. SpeciesEnyo lugubris
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Nighttime Observation: Look near evening-blooming nectar plants like petunias or jasmine shortly after sunset.
  • Attracting Adults: Avoid bright non-insect-safe outdoor lighting that disorients night-flying hawkmoths.
Related species
Keep collecting in Fauna

Found in Collections

Species set

Moonlight Marvels

Mournful Sphinx is found in this collection. Identify it in Fauna to fill this slot and continue your progress.

—/7
Continue in the app
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?

Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.

Checking your Fauna account…