Abstract

As all entomologists are aware, horn worms are the larvae of moths belonging to the family Sphingidas known popularly as hawk moths. Though these insects are not so very important from an economic stand-point com- pared with the caterpillars of such groups of moths as the Noctuidae (cut worms etc.), Pyralidae, (leaf caterpillars) Arctiidae (Hairy caterpillars), etc.; some horn worms occasionally come to some prominence not only as pests of cultivated crops, but also in some other respects. This paper is an attempt to bring together our knowledge of the general bionomics of Indian Sphin- gids which possess some economic importance with special reference to S. India. We have so far records only of three sphingids of economic importance from South India vide Fletcher's book published in 1914 though Hampson, Lefroy and latterly Fletcher refer to about a dozen forms from all over India. In view of the fact that our knowledge of these insects has considerably increased since then, and since we have no connected or upto- date account of these insects from S. India, this paper is an attempt in that direction; as far as the writer is aware the only recorded publication on any sphingid from S. India since 1914 is the one by the present writer on the bionomics of Polyptychus dentatus, Cr. In the present paper brief notes on all the Indian forms so far noted to have any economic importance are added with special reference to forms noted in S. India. In all fifteen species are included; a few remarks on the striking features of sphingids in general are also added to make the paper somewhat comprehensive of the whole family.

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