Updated as per James P. Tuttle's The Hawk Moths of North America, September 19, 2011
Updated as per BAMONA, September 19, 2011

Pinal County, Arizona

Sphingidae

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke at oehlkew@islandtelecom.com
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information/sightings are welcomed by Bill.
Fifty-nine Sphingidae species are listed for Arizona on the BAMONA website. Not all of the species are reported or anticipated in Pinal County (Nine are reported on BAMONA as of September 19, 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 forward sightings to BAMONA, an excellent online resource.

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.

Ceratomia amyntor WO, the Elm Sphinx or Four-horned Sphinx
The upperside of the forewing is brown with dark brown and white markings including a white costal area near the wing base, dark streaks along the veins, and a white spot in the cell. Larvae feed on Elm (Ulmus), birch (Betula), basswood (Tilia), and cherry (Prunus).

Ceratomia sonorensis, WO, Sonoran Sphinx,
The fringes of the upper wings are checkered black and white. The upperside of the forewing is dark gray with black bars and dashes and whitish patches. The upperside of the hindwing is dark brown with pale gray at the base and has two black transverse lines. rare

Dolbogene hartwegii, WO, Hartweg's Sphinx
This small moth flies at dusk. Both the forewing and the hindwing have a dark spot at the anal angle. The forewing has a dark cell marking with a white center. There is also a dark patch along the inner margin in the basal area.

Lintneria istar WO, the Istar Sphinx
The upperside of the forewing is dark gray with brown tinges. A series of narrow dashes runs from the tip to the cell spots, and a wide black band runs from the middle of the outer margin to the base of the wing. It flies to the east and to the south and might be present.

Lintneria separatus WO, the Separated Sphinx
The upperside of the forewing is dark gray with black and light gray wavy lines. The upperside of the hindwing is black with a brownish gray border and two white bands.

Manduca florestan WO
The upperside of the forewing is gray to yellowish gray to brown. The reddish brown patch just outside the cell and above the dashes is the most distinguishing character.

Manduca occulta WO, Occult sphinx
Manduca occulta can be differentiated from M. sexta which has 2/3 black, 1/3 white checkering on the forewing, while occulta has equal amounts of black and white checkering.

Manduca quinquemaculatus BAMONA, the Five-spotted Hawkmoth. Abdomen usually has five but sometimes six pairs of yellow bands. Fw upperside s blurry brown and gray. Hw upperside 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: Abdomen usually has six pairs of yellow bands, broken across the back; sixth set of markings quite small. Fw upperside has indistinct black, brown, and white markings. Hw upperside banded with black and white; has two black zigzag median lines very close together with hardly any white showing between them. Fw fringes: white-spotted.

Sagenosoma elsa WO, 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 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 WO, 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 WO, 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.

Smerinthini Tribe:

Pachysphinx occidentalis BAMONA, 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 myops WO, the Small-eyed Sphinx
Named for the small eye-spot in the hindwing, this moth has a wide distribution and is probably common in your county.

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.

Smerinthus saliceti BAMONA, the Salicet Sphinx, flies in valleys and along streamsides from Mexico City north to west Texas, southern Arizona, and extreme southern California. Larvae feed on poplars and willows.
Flight would be from late April-September, probably as a double brood.

Macroglossinae subfamily

Dilophonotini tribe:

Erinnyis crameri, the Cramer's Sphinx, WO
The upperside of the abdomen is gray, without black bands, and the underside does not have black spots. The upperside of the forewing is dark brown, and may have pale yellow-brown patches along the inner edge.

Erinnyis ello BAMONA, the Ello Sphinx: Abdomen: very distinct gray and black bands. Female's fw: pale gray with a few dark dots near the outer margin. Male's fw upperside: dark gray and brown with black band running from base to tip. In both sexes, hindwing upperside is orange with wide black border.

Erinnyis obscura, the Obscure Sphinx, BAMONA
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
This moth is officially reported for Pima County.
Eumorpha achemon larvae feed upon Grape (Vitis), Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) and other vines and ivies (Ampelopsis).

Macroglossini tribe:

Hyles lineata BAMONA, the White-lined Sphinx: The forewing upperside is dark olive brown with paler brown along the costa and outer margin, a narrow tan band running from the wing tip to the base, and white streaks along the veins. The hindwing upperside is black with a reddish pink median band.

Proserpinus terlooii WO, the Terloo sphinx
The upperside of the forewing is uniform olive green with a darker median band. The upperside of the hindwing is red with an olive green border.

Proserpinus vega WO, the Vega sphinx
Jim Tuttle writes, "P. vega has a very large and dark basal patch as the FW meets the thorax that is lacking in terlooii. There are also three prominent longitudinal stripes on the thorax of vega that are lacking in terlooii."

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.
Use your browser "Back" button to return to the previous page.
This page is brought to you by Bill Oehlke and the WLSS. Pages are on space rented from Bizland. If you would like to become a "Patron of the Sphingidae Site", contact Bill.
Please send sightings/images to Bill. I will do my best to respond to requests for identification help.

Show appreciation for this site by clicking on flashing butterfly to the left.
The link will take you to a page with links to many insect sites.

Pinal 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.

Dolbogene hartwegii, WO, Hartweg's Sphinx This small moth flies at dusk. Both the forewing and the hindwing have a dark spot at the anal angle. The forewing has a dark cell marking with a white center. There is also a dark patch along the inner margin in the basal area.

Lintneria separatus WO, the Separated Sphinx The upperside of the forewing is dark gray with black and light gray wavy lines. The upperside of the hindwing is black with a brownish gray border and two white bands.

Manduca florestan WO The upperside of the forewing is gray to yellowish gray to brown. The reddish brown patch just outside the cell and above the dashes is the most distinguishing character.

Manduca occulta WO, Occult sphinx Manduca occulta can be differentiated from M. sexta which has 2/3 black, 1/3 white checkering on the forewing, while occulta has equal amounts of black and white checkering.

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.

Sagenosoma elsa WO, 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 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 WO, 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.

Smerinthini Tribe:

Pachysphinx occidentalis BAMONA, 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 myops WO, the Small-eyed Sphinx Named for the small eye-spot in the hindwing, this moth has a wide distribution and is probably common in your county.

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.

Smerinthus saliceti BAMONA, the Salicet Sphinx, flies in valleys and along streamsides from Mexico City north to west Texas, southern Arizona, and extreme southern California. Larvae feed on poplars and willows. Flight would be from late April-September, probably as a double brood.

Macroglossinae subfamily

Dilophonotini tribe:

Erinnyis crameri, the Cramer's Sphinx, WO The upperside of the abdomen is gray, without black bands, and the underside does not have black spots. The upperside of the forewing is dark brown, and may have pale yellow-brown patches along the inner edge.

Erinnyis obscura, the Obscure Sphinx, BAMONA 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 This moth is officially reported for Pima County. Eumorpha achemon larvae feed upon Grape (Vitis), Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) and other vines and ivies (Ampelopsis).

Macroglossini tribe:

Hyles lineata BAMONA, the White-lined Sphinx: The forewing upperside is dark olive brown with paler brown along the costa and outer margin, a narrow tan band running from the wing tip to the base, and white streaks along the veins. The hindwing upperside is black with a reddish pink median band.

Proserpinus terlooii WO, the Terloo sphinx The upperside of the forewing is uniform olive green with a darker median band. The upperside of the hindwing is red with an olive green border.

Proserpinus vega WO, the Vega sphinx Jim Tuttle writes, "P. vega has a very large and dark basal patch as the FW meets the thorax that is lacking in terlooii. There are also three prominent longitudinal stripes on the thorax of vega that are lacking in terlooii."

Agrius cingulata, WO, Pink-spotted Hawkmoth
This moth is a very strong flier, and make its way to southern Arizona and southern California.

Dolbogene hartwegii, WO, Hartweg's Sphinx
This small moth flies at dusk. Both the forewing and the hindwing have a dark spot at the anal angle. The forewing has a dark cell marking with a white center. There is also a dark patch along the inner margin in the basal area.

Lintneria separatus WO, the Separated Sphinx
The upperside of the forewing is dark gray with black and light gray wavy lines. The upperside of the hindwing is black with a brownish gray border and two white bands.

Manduca florestan WO
The upperside of the forewing is gray to yellowish gray to brown. The reddish brown patch just outside the cell and above the dashes is the most distinguishing character.

Manduca occulta WO, Occult sphinx
Manduca occulta can be differentiated from M. sexta which has 2/3 black, 1/3 white checkering on the forewing, while occulta has equal amounts of black and white checkering.

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.

Sagenosoma elsa WO, 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 dollii WO, 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.

Pachysphinx occidentalis BAMONA, 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 myops WO, the Small-eyed Sphinx
Named for the small eye-spot in the hindwing, this moth has a wide distribution and is probably common in your county.

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.

Smerinthus saliceti BAMONA, the Salicet Sphinx, flies in valleys and along streamsides from Mexico City north to west Texas, southern Arizona, and extreme southern California. Larvae feed on poplars and willows.
Flight would be from late April-September, probably as a double brood.

Erinnyis crameri, the Cramer's Sphinx, WO
The upperside of the abdomen is gray, without black bands, and the underside does not have black spots. The upperside of the forewing is dark brown, and may have pale yellow-brown patches along the inner edge.

Erinnyis obscura, the Obscure Sphinx, BAMONA
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
This moth is officially reported for Pima County.
Eumorpha achemon larvae feed upon Grape (Vitis), Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) and other vines and ivies (Ampelopsis).

Proserpinus terlooii WO, the Terloo sphinx
The upperside of the forewing is uniform olive green with a darker median band. The upperside of the hindwing is red with an olive green border.

Proserpinus vega WO, the Vega sphinx
Jim Tuttle writes, "P. vega has a very large and dark basal patch as the FW meets the thorax that is lacking in terlooii. There are also three prominent longitudinal stripes on the thorax of vega that are lacking in terlooii."