Spurge hawkmoth Hyles euphorbiae L. is known as a monophgous agent living on herbaceous species of Euphorbia spp. A biological study of this moth in western parts of Orumieh Lake, Iran was conducted during 2002-2004 in field, as well as in laboratory conditions. Field observations showed that spurge hawkmoth feeds on the leaves, buds and soft stems of Euphorbia macroclada Boiss. and E. denticulate Lam., although in no-choice host specifity tests in laboratory conditions, the larvae were successfully reared on E. seguieriana Nrck. & Spach., E. heteradena Jaub as well as E. boissiriana Prokh. Spurge hawkmoth lives two generations in western parts of Orumieh Lake. The first generation was observed to last from late April to mid July, the second one from mid August through late October. Maximum number of eggs in a cluster was 62, the average being counted as 19 eggs per cluster. Females, on average, laid 162 eggs per individual, but potential fecundity was evaluated as 191 per individual. Laboratory and field studies revealed that incubation period of eggs at constant temperature of 18±0.5?C (in laboratory) was 9±0.5 days and in daily mean temperature of 14.7 and 24.3 (in field) 12±1 and 7±1 days, respectively. This moth bear 5 larval stages. Larval development period in daily mean temperature of 19.4 and 24.1?C were 23±2 and 19±2 days, respectively. Studies on parasitoids of H. euphorbia showed that the larvae were parasitized by two species of thachinid flies including Exorista grandis (Zetterstedt) and Masicera sphingivora (Robineau-Desviody).
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