Updated as per James P. Tuttle's The Hawk Moths of North America, September 12, 2011
Updated as per BAMONA, September 12, 2011

Coconino County, Arizona

Sphingidae

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information/sightings are welcomed by Bill.
Fifty-eight Sphingidae species are listed for Arizona on the BAMONA website. Not all of the species are reported or anticipated in Coconino County (fourteen are reported on BAMONA as of September 12, 2011). It is hoped that this checklist, with the thumbnails and notes, will help you quickly identify the moths you are likely to encounter.
A "WO" after the species name indicates that I (William Oehlke) expect that this moth is present or might be present, although unreported. A "BAMONA" indicates the moth is confirmed on BAMONA site.
Please help me develop this list with improved, documented accuracy by sending sightings (species, date, location), preferably with an electronic image, via email to Bill Oehlke.
Please also send sightings to BAMONA, an excellent online resource.
To visit Sphingidae adult moths and larvae (caterpillars) in Arizona, goto Arizona Sphingidae.
For similar checklists, images and information visit Sphingidae of the Americas which covers all countries in North, Central and South America.
Visit North American Catocala: Underwings moths from all US states and Canadian provinces.

Sphinginae subfamily

Sphingini tribe:

Agrius cingulata, WO, Pink-spotted Hawkmoth
This moth is a very strong flier, and make its way to southern Arizona and southern California.
It is confirmed for Yavapai County and neighbouring counties. Might be present.

Manduca quinquemaculatus BAMONA, the Five-spotted Hawkmoth. Abdomen: usually has five but sometimes six pairs of yellow bands. Forewing is blurry brown and gray. Hindwing is banded with brown and white and has two well-separated median zigzag bands. Fw fringes are grayish, not distinctly spotted with white.

Manduca rustica WO, the Rustic Sphinx
The abdomen of the adult moth has three pairs of yellow spots. The upperside of the forewing is yellowish brown to deep chocolate brown with a dusting of white scales and zigzagged black and white lines.

Manduca sexta WO, the Carolina Sphinx
If you grow tomatoes, you have probably encountered it.
Larvae get very large and can strip a tomato plant.

Sagenosoma elsa BAMONA, the Elsa sphinx
The upperside of the forewing has a wide white band along the costa from base to apex. The remainder of the wing has black and white bands.

Sphinx asellus BAMONA, the Asella sphinx
The upperside of the forewing is pale silver-gray with a series of black dashes, a white patch at the tip, and a white stripe along the outer margin. The upperside of the hindwing is black with blurry white bands.

Sphinx chersis BAMONA, the Northern Ash Sphinx or Great Ash Sphinx The upperside of the forewing is soft dark gray to blue-gray with a series of black dashes, one of which reaches the wing tip. The upperside of the hindwing is black with blurry pale gray bands.

Sphinx dollii BAMONA, the Doll's sphinx
Sphinx dollii (Wing span: 1 3/4 - 2 1/2 inches (4.5 - 6.3 cm)), flies in arid brushlands and desert foothills from Nevada and southern California east through Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico to Oklahoma and Texas.

Sphinx libocedrus BAMONA, the Incense Cedar Sphinx
The upperside of the forewing is pale blue-gray to dark gray with a black dash reaching the wing tip and a white stripe along the lower outer margin.
The upperside of the hindwing is black with two diffuse white bands, the upper one being practically non-existent.

Sphinx vashti BAMONA, the Snowberry Sphinx
The upperside of the forewing has a narrow black subterminal line bordered by a white inverted V-shaped line on the outside, and a black line running inwards from the apex of the wing.
It is most often found in montane woodlands and along streamcourses.

Smerinthini Tribe:

Pachysphinx occidentalis WO, the Big Poplar Sphinx
This one is quite similar to Pachysphinx modesta, with modesta being smaller and darker.
Moths should be on the wing from June-August.

Paonias excaecata BAMONA, the Blinded Sphinx,
The outer margin of the forewing is quite wavy. There is a dark cell spot and a dark oblique line mid wing from the costa almost to the inner margin. Basic ground colour is pinkish brown.
Flight would be June-July.

Paonias myops BAMONA, the Small-eyed Sphinx
Named for the small eye-spot in the hindwing, this moth has a wide distribution.

Smerinthus cerisyi BAMONA, the Cerisyi's Sphinx or One-eyed Sphinx,
Larvae feed on poplars and willows.
Flight would be from late May-July as a single brood.

Macroglossinae subfamily

Dilophonotini tribe:

Erinnyis ello WO, the Ello Sphinx
This species is reported in Yavapai County and in other southern Arizona counties.
Males and females differ.

Erinnyis obscura, the Obscure Sphinx, WO
During the night adults nectar at flowers, including bouncing bet (Saponaria officinalis) and Asystasia gangetica beginning at dusk.
July and August are flight times in the southern states.

Hemaris thetis WO, the Thetis Clearwing or Bee Hawk Moth,
The moth flies along forest edges and in meadows, gardens and brushy fields. Day-flying adults nectar at lantana, dwarf bush honeysuckle, snowberry, orange hawkweed, thistles, lilac, Canada violet, etc.

Philampelini tribe:

Eumorpha achemon BAMONA, the Achemon Sphinx
Eumorpha achemon larvae feed upon Grape (Vitis), Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) and other vines and ivies (Ampelopsis).

Macroglossini tribe:

Euproserpinus wiesti BAMONA, Wiest's Primrose Sphinx
Euproserpinus wiesti adults fly, during the day, over sand washes and prairie blow-outs as a single brood from May-June.

Hyles lineata WO, the White-lined Sphinx
The white lines on the body and forewings are striking. Even in flight, the broad pink area on the hindwings is visible.
Larvae can be quite varied.

Proserpinus juanita BAMONA, the Juanita Sphinx
The upperside of the forewing is pale gray-green with a deep green-brown median area and a white dash at the wing tip.

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Coconino County, Arizona

Sphingidae

Sphinginae subfamily

Sphingini tribe:

Agrius cingulata, WO, Pink-spotted Hawkmoth This moth is a very strong flier, and make its way to southern Arizona and southern California. It is confirmed for Yavapai County and neighbouring counties. Might be present.

Manduca rustica WO, the Rustic Sphinx The abdomen of the adult moth has three pairs of yellow spots. The upperside of the forewing is yellowish brown to deep chocolate brown with a dusting of white scales and zigzagged black and white lines.

Manduca sexta WO, the Carolina Sphinx If you grow tomatoes, you have probably encountered it. Larvae get very large and can strip a tomato plant.

Sagenosoma elsa BAMONA, the Elsa sphinx The upperside of the forewing has a wide white band along the costa from base to apex. The remainder of the wing has black and white bands.

Sphinx asellus BAMONA, the Asella sphinx The upperside of the forewing is pale silver-gray with a series of black dashes, a white patch at the tip, and a white stripe along the outer margin. The upperside of the hindwing is black with blurry white bands.

Sphinx chersis BAMONA, the Northern Ash Sphinx or Great Ash Sphinx The upperside of the forewing is soft dark gray to blue-gray with a series of black dashes, one of which reaches the wing tip. The upperside of the hindwing is black with blurry pale gray bands.

Sphinx dollii BAMONA, the Doll's sphinx Sphinx dollii (Wing span: 1 3/4 - 2 1/2 inches (4.5 - 6.3 cm)), flies in arid brushlands and desert foothills from Nevada and southern California east through Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico to Oklahoma and Texas.

Sphinx vashti BAMONA, the Snowberry Sphinx The upperside of the forewing has a narrow black subterminal line bordered by a white inverted V-shaped line on the outside, and a black line running inwards from the apex of the wing. It is most often found in montane woodlands and along streamcourses.

Smerinthini Tribe:

Pachysphinx occidentalis WO, the Big Poplar Sphinx This one is quite similar to Pachysphinx modesta, with modesta being smaller and darker. Moths should be on the wing from June-August.

Paonias excaecata BAMONA, the Blinded Sphinx, The outer margin of the forewing is quite wavy. There is a dark cell spot and a dark oblique line mid wing from the costa almost to the inner margin. Basic ground colour is pinkish brown. Flight would be June-July.

Paonias myops BAMONA, the Small-eyed Sphinx Named for the small eye-spot in the hindwing, this moth has a wide distribution.

Smerinthus cerisyi BAMONA, the Cerisyi's Sphinx or One-eyed Sphinx, Larvae feed on poplars and willows. Flight would be from late May-July as a single brood.

Macroglossinae subfamily

Dilophonotini tribe:

Erinnyis ello WO, the Ello Sphinx This species is reported in Yavapai County and in other southern Arizona counties. Males and females differ.

Erinnyis obscura, the Obscure Sphinx, WO During the night adults nectar at flowers, including bouncing bet (Saponaria officinalis) and Asystasia gangetica beginning at dusk. July and August are flight times in the southern states.

Hemaris thetis WO, the Thetis Clearwing or Bee Hawk Moth, The moth flies along forest edges and in meadows, gardens and brushy fields. Day-flying adults nectar at lantana, dwarf bush honeysuckle, snowberry, orange hawkweed, thistles, lilac, Canada violet, etc.

Philampelini tribe:

Eumorpha achemon BAMONA, the Achemon Sphinx Eumorpha achemon larvae feed upon Grape (Vitis), Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) and other vines and ivies (Ampelopsis).

Macroglossini tribe:

Euproserpinus wiesti BAMONA, Wiest's Primrose Sphinx Euproserpinus wiesti adults fly, during the day, over sand washes and prairie blow-outs as a single brood from May-June.

Hyles lineata WO, the White-lined Sphinx The white lines on the body and forewings are striking. Even in flight, the broad pink area on the hindwings is visible. Larvae can be quite varied.

Proserpinus juanita BAMONA, the Juanita Sphinx The upperside of the forewing is pale gray-green with a deep green-brown median area and a white dash at the wing tip.

Agrius cingulata, WO, Pink-spotted Hawkmoth
This moth is a very strong flier, and make its way to southern Arizona and southern California.
It is confirmed for Yavapai County and neighbouring counties. Might be present.

Manduca rustica WO, the Rustic Sphinx
The abdomen of the adult moth has three pairs of yellow spots. The upperside of the forewing is yellowish brown to deep chocolate brown with a dusting of white scales and zigzagged black and white lines.

Manduca sexta WO, the Carolina Sphinx
If you grow tomatoes, you have probably encountered it.
Larvae get very large and can strip a tomato plant.

Sagenosoma elsa BAMONA, the Elsa sphinx
The upperside of the forewing has a wide white band along the costa from base to apex. The remainder of the wing has black and white bands.

Sphinx asellus BAMONA, the Asella sphinx
The upperside of the forewing is pale silver-gray with a series of black dashes, a white patch at the tip, and a white stripe along the outer margin. The upperside of the hindwing is black with blurry white bands.

Sphinx dollii BAMONA, the Doll's sphinx
Sphinx dollii (Wing span: 1 3/4 - 2 1/2 inches (4.5 - 6.3 cm)), flies in arid brushlands and desert foothills from Nevada and southern California east through Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico to Oklahoma and Texas.

Sphinx vashti BAMONA, the Snowberry Sphinx
The upperside of the forewing has a narrow black subterminal line bordered by a white inverted V-shaped line on the outside, and a black line running inwards from the apex of the wing.
It is most often found in montane woodlands and along streamcourses.

Pachysphinx occidentalis WO, the Big Poplar Sphinx
This one is quite similar to Pachysphinx modesta, with modesta being smaller and darker.
Moths should be on the wing from June-August.

Paonias excaecata BAMONA, the Blinded Sphinx,
The outer margin of the forewing is quite wavy. There is a dark cell spot and a dark oblique line mid wing from the costa almost to the inner margin. Basic ground colour is pinkish brown.
Flight would be June-July.

Paonias myops BAMONA, the Small-eyed Sphinx
Named for the small eye-spot in the hindwing, this moth has a wide distribution.

Smerinthus cerisyi BAMONA, the Cerisyi's Sphinx or One-eyed Sphinx,
Larvae feed on poplars and willows.
Flight would be from late May-July as a single brood.

Erinnyis ello WO, the Ello Sphinx
This species is reported in Yavapai County and in other southern Arizona counties.
Males and females differ.

Erinnyis obscura, the Obscure Sphinx, WO
During the night adults nectar at flowers, including bouncing bet (Saponaria officinalis) and Asystasia gangetica beginning at dusk.
July and August are flight times in the southern states.

Hemaris thetis WO, the Thetis Clearwing or Bee Hawk Moth,
The moth flies along forest edges and in meadows, gardens and brushy fields. Day-flying adults nectar at lantana, dwarf bush honeysuckle, snowberry, orange hawkweed, thistles, lilac, Canada violet, etc.

Eumorpha achemon BAMONA, the Achemon Sphinx
Eumorpha achemon larvae feed upon Grape (Vitis), Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) and other vines and ivies (Ampelopsis).

Euproserpinus wiesti BAMONA, Wiest's Primrose Sphinx
Euproserpinus wiesti adults fly, during the day, over sand washes and prairie blow-outs as a single brood from May-June.

Hyles lineata WO, the White-lined Sphinx
The white lines on the body and forewings are striking. Even in flight, the broad pink area on the hindwings is visible.
Larvae can be quite varied.

Proserpinus juanita BAMONA, the Juanita Sphinx
The upperside of the forewing is pale gray-green with a deep green-brown median area and a white dash at the wing tip.