The Sphingidae of Quebec

Sylvain Miller writes, "I would like to confirm the identification of these moths (above). Are they Sphecodina abbottii?

The first adult arrived on my fence May 17, 2010. On the morning of May 18, I saw the second one mating.

I reply, "Very nice picture of Sphecodina abbottii pairing. I request permission to post photo, credited to you. The female, first one, would have pupated underground somewhere near the fence. When she emerged, she climbed up the fence and that night, via a pheromone, called in the male and they paired. Female is upper moth. Male is lower moth."

I think Sphecodina abbottii must be a very common species in Quebec, as I am often sent images of larvae and adult moths of that species for identification purposes.

This website is designed and maintained by Bill Oehlke. Please send sightings (date, location, species) and/or images to Bill.

Sphinginae subfamily Sphingini tribe: Agrius cingulata rare migrant stray Ceratomia amyntor Ceratomia undulosa Dolba hyloeus Lapara bombycoides Manduca quinquemaculata rare Manduca rustica very rare Sphinx canadensis Sphinx chersis occasional sphinx drupiferarum occasional Sphinx eremitus Sphinx gordius mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Sphinx kalmiae Sphinx luscitiosa rare Sphinx poecila Smerinthini Tribe: Laothoe juglandis Amorpha juglandis Pachysphinx modesta Paonias astylus very rare Paonias excaecatus Paonias myops Smerinthus cerisyi Smerinthus jamaicensis

Macroglossinae subfamily Dilophonotini tribe:mm Aellopos titan rare migrant stray Erinnyis ello rare migrant stray Hemaris aethra Hemaris diffinis Hemaris gracilis rare Hemaris thysbe Philampelini tribe:mm Eumorpha achemon rare Eumorpha fasciata rare Eumorpha pandorus Macroglossini tribe: Amphion floridensis Darapsa myron Darapsa choerilus Darapsa versicolor rare Deidamia inscriptum occ. Hyles euphorbiae Hyles gallii occ. Hyles lineata migrant Proserpinus flavofasciatus * Sphecodina abbottii Xylophanes tersa rare stray * = very rare Return to Index by Nation Return to Canadian Index Return to Main Sphingidae Index

List provided by Dave Clermont

Goto Thumbnail Checklist of moths for quick identification.
Goto Thumbnail Checklist of larvae for quick id.

This website is designed and maintained by Bill Oehlke. Please send sightings (date, location, species) and/or images to Bill.

Sightings 2006

Sphecodina abbottii, Plateau district of Montreal, Quebec, May 27, Mike and Katya Epstein

Sphecodina abbottii larva, July 13, 2006, Granby, Quebec, about 40 miles South East of Montreal. It was discovered on the ground after trimming and shaking vines growing up the side of the house. I was also told that another specimen was brought in yesterday from a village nearby. Laurent Denault

Smerinthus cerisyi, Wilson Lake, near Kazabazua, Quebec,
May 20, 2007, courtesy of Jim Cumming.

Sphecodina abbottii larva (green form), August 5-8, 2007, St-Alphonse-de-Granby, Quebec,
courtesy of Gauvin Marielle.

Sphecodina abbottii larva (brown form), downtown Montreal , Quebec,
July 24, 2009, courtesy of Jennifer Morrison.

Hemaris thysbe, Gouin Reservoir, northern Quebec,
July 5, 2010, courtesy of Neil Cameron.

Visit Hemaris thysbe nectaring, Champlain Lookout, Gatineau Park, Quebec, June 3, 2011, courtesy of Giorgio Zanetti.

Visit Hemaris thysbe nectaring at pink phlox, Aylmer, Gatineau, August 2, 2010, courtesy of Michel Paradis.

Visit Hemaris thysbe nectaring at pink phlox, Laurentian, Quebec, August 2-15, 2010, courtesy of Ilania Abileah

Many thanks to Yohann Racine who sends me the following data for Havelock, Quebec for 2015. The number of specimens observed follows the species name.

Ceratomia amyntor 5
Ceratomia undulosa many
Lintneria eremitus 3
Sphinx canadensis 6
Sphinx kalmiae 1
Sphinx drupiferarum in Luskville Fall only one
Lapara bombyoides 6
Smerinthus jamaicensis many
Smerinthus cerisyi many
Paonias exaecata many
Paonias myops many
Pachysphinx modesta many
Hemaris thysbe many
Hemaris diffinis many
Eumorpha pandorus 5
Sphecodina abbottii many
Amphion floridensis many
Darapsa myron many
Darapsa choerilus 6
Hyles gallii 5

Enjoy some of nature's wonderments, giant silk moth cocoons. These cocoons are for sale winter and fall. Beautiful Saturniidae moths will emerge the following spring and summer. Read Actias luna rearing article. Additional online help available.

Eggs of many North American species are offered during the spring and summer. Occasionally summer Actias luna and summer Antheraea polyphemus cocoons are available. Shipping to US destinations is done from with in the US.

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Please send sightings/images to Bill. I will do my best to respond to requests for identification help.

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I very much appreciate all the many images that have been sent to me, or of which I have been granted permission to copy and post from other websites. All images on this site remain the property of respective photographers.

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Box 476
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Canada

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