Sphinginae subfamily
Sphingini Tribe:
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Agrius cingulata,
Pink-spotted Hawkmoth; El Paso, probably only as adult moth;
Convolvulaceae family: Ipomoea batatas (sweet potato); Solanaceae family:
(Datura) (jimsonweed); related plants. Also brown form. Very large, dark
spiracular circles. adult stray; unlikely as larva
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Ceratomia amyntor;
Elm Sphinx or Four-horned Sphinx; Denver/Jefferson
Larvae feed on Elm (Ulmus), birch (Betula), basswood
(Tilia), and cherry (Prunus).
There are both green and brown forms. The four horns near
the head are diagnostic. |
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Ceratomia catalpae; the Catalpa Sphinx; Denver/Jefferson
This caterpillar is one of the few North American Sphingidae that
feed in large groups. Colouration is distinctive. The larvae
are much more spectacular than the moths. Catalpa is the larval host. |
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Ceratomia undulosa; Waved Sphinx: Douglas; Denver/Elbert/Jefferson
Note the pinkish-orange tail, spiracles outlined in red and the cream
stripes on the head.
The dramatic color change from the dorsal
yellow-green to the lateral light greyish-blue is not always
as intense as in this image.
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Lintneria separatus;
Separated Sphinx; Douglas/El Paso: Salvia greggii has been confirmed as host
by Robert A. Behrstock. Jim Tuttle, tentative id, writes, "All penultimate instars of both Lintneria (Sphinx) istar and
Lintneria (Sphinx) separatus that I have reared
have been mundane green."
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Manduca quinquemaculatus;
Five-spotted Hawkmoth; Denver/El Paso/Teller;
The caterpillars are called Tomato Hornworms and each has a black horn at the end of the abdomen.
Larvae feed on potato, tobacco, tomato, and other plants in the
nightshade family (Solanaceae).
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Manduca sexta;
Carolina Sphinx; Denver/Adams/Teller/Jefferson
Note the red horn and black dots anterior to the white oblique lines.
If you grow tomatoes, you have probably encountered it.
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Sphinx asellus Asella sphinx; El Paso/Teller/Jefferson;
Larval hosts are Manzanita and Arctostaphylos
of the Ericaceae family. Look for a blue horn and strong purple
colouration.
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Sphinx chersis
Northern Ash Sphinx or Great Ash
Sphinx; El Paso/Jefferson; Pale bluish green. Head has pair of yellow
lateral bands meeting at apex. Oblique, lateral stripes:
pale; bordered anteriorly with darker green. Ash, lilac, privet, cherry, quaking aspen.
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Sphinx drupiferarum
Wild Cherry Sphinx; El Paso/Jefferson;
Larvae hide in the day and feed primarily on cherry, plum, and apple
at night. Larvae have been found on Amelanchier nantuckensis
in Massachusetts and have been reared to pupation in Michigan on
Prunus serotina. Note purple oblique lines.
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Larval hosts are apple (Malus), sweetfern (Myrica),
Carolina rose (Rosa carolina), blueberry and huckleberry
(Vaccinium), white spruce (Picea glauca), American
larch (Larix laricina), and alder (Alnus).
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Sphinx luscitiosa
WO????,
the Canadian Sphinx or
Clemen's Sphinx
This one is reported from Richmond and from northeastern New
Jersey into southern Canada.
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Sphinx perelegans, the Elegant Sphinx; El Paso
A unique feature of this larva is a shield on the first thoracic
segment, which is of the same colour as the body and which forms a
tight-fitting hood over the vertex of the head. This hides a pair of
glossy black spots on top of the head, which are revealed if the
animal is disturbed.
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Sphinx vashti
Snowberry Sphinx; Douglas/Elbert/El Paso/Teller/
Park/ Jefferson:
Larvae feed on common snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus)
and on coralberry (S. orbiculatus).
Note two golden
lines of slightly raised bumps, one just behind the head, the other
on the thorax.
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Smerinthini Tribe:
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Pachysphinx modesta; Modest Sphinx or Poplar Sphinx;
Douglas; Denver/El Paso/Teller/Jefferson;
It is fond of poplars and willows.
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Pachysphinx occidentalis;
Big Poplar Sphinx; Modest Sphinx or Poplar Sphinx; Denver/El Paso/Jefferson;
Larvae feed on cottonwood and poplar (Populus) and willow
(Salix).
Larvae are very chunky with little to distinguish them
from Pachysphinx modesta.
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Paonias excaecata
the Blinded Sphinx; Douglas; Denver/El Paso/Jefferson;
Larvae accept willows, birches, and cherries.
I have also found them in the wild on oak in eastern Canada.
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Paonias myops;
Small-eyed Sphinx; El Paso/Teller/Jefferson;
Wild cherry species are favorites as larval foodplants, but eggs
will also be deposited on birches and other forest trees.
There are varying degrees in the amount of red markings along the sides.
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Smerinthus cerisyi;
Cerisy's Sphinx; Denver/El Paso/Teller/
Park/Jefferson;
Pale green, granular skin, pale lateral diagonal lines, faint red
spiracular circles, very pale longitudinal lines running from
head to more pronounced anal diagonal line.
Green heads bounded dorsally with pale yellow
inverted "V".
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Smerinthus jamaicensis;
the Twin-spotted Sphinx; Denver/El Paso;
Larvae feed upon many forest trees including birches and cherries,
but are expecially fond of poplars and willows. Red markings on sides
vary greatly from specimen to specimen.
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Macroglossinae subfamily
Dilophonotini Tribe
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Erinnyis ello, Ello Sphinx; El Paso; probably only as an adult moth
Papaya (Carica papaya), Cnidoscolus
angustidens, poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima),
guava (Psidium species),
saffron plum (Bumelia angustifolia/Bumelia celastrina).
Manilkara bahamensis,
Willow Bustic (Bumelia salicifolia)
and Painted Leaf (Poinsettia heterophylla) are also hosts.
Nice socks! Very variable.
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Hemaris diffinis,
Snowberry Clearwing; Bumblebee Moth; Douglas/Denver/Adams/Elbert/
El Paso/Jefferson
Snowberry (Symphoricarpos),
honeysuckle (Lonicera), Coralberry, viburnums, Blue Dogbane
(Apocynum) dwarf bush honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera).
Horn: black; yellow base.
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Hemaris thetis;
El Paso/Park/Jefferson;
Snowberry (Symphoricarpos), honeysuckle (Lonicera), Coralberry, viburnums, high bush cranberry, hawthorn (Crataegus).
Horn: black with slightly lighter base. This western species was formerly classified as
H. diffinis or H. senta. Those species west of the Continental Divide are H. thetis.
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Philampelini Tribe:
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Eumorpha achemon; Achemon Sphinx;
Douglas;DLA; Denver/Adams/El Paso
/Jefferson
Grape (Vitis), Virginia Creeper
(Parthenocissus quinquefolia), other vines and ivies
(Ampelopsis).
Larvae occur in both a light (green) form and a darker (tan/brown)
form. Note six "segmented" oblique lines.
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Eumorpha achemon, Waterton Canyon, Douglas, Deborah L. Atkinson
Macroglossini Tribe
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Amphion floridensis
Nessus Sphinix; Douglas; Denver/El Paso/Teller/Jefferson;
In additon to Virginia creeper larvae accept Grape (Vitis),
ampelopsis (Ampelopsis), cayenne pepper (Capsicum).
Larvae are green until the final instar.
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Darapsa myron WO, Virginia Creeper Sphinx; Grapevine Sphinx:
If you have the
foodplants indicated in common names, you probably have this
species nearby. Lower wings are orange.
Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia),
Grape (Vitis), Ampelopsis, Viburnum.
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Euproserpinus wiesti
reported in Wend County,
Wiest's Primrose Sphinx:.
Adults fly during the day, over sand washes
and prairie blow-outs as single brood from May-June. Prairie primrose (Oenothera latifolia) in evening primrose family (Onagraceae).
Trying to rear in captivity has proven difficult. Larvae need sunshine, heat, humidity.
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Hyles euphorbiae, Leafy Spurge Hawk Moth:
Leafy spurge. Larvae are also conspicuously colored, with
pronounced tail or "horn" near rear end.
Young larvae are variously patterned with green, yellow, and black;
older larvae have distinctive red, black, yellow, and white color
pattern. Mature larvae may approach 10 cm in length; when disturbed,
they regurgitate a slimy green liquid. I have a report of larva from Wend County. Might be present.
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Hyles gallii; Bedstraw Hawk Moth or Gallium Sphinx; Denver;
Larvae come in black and in brown forms and often feed on
Epilobium (fireweed).
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Hyles lineata;
White-lined Sphinx; Douglas/Denver/Adams/El Paso/
Teller/Park/Jefferson
Larvae are highly varied; feed on diversity of plants:
willow weed (Epilobium), four o'clock (Mirabilis),
apple (Malus), evening primrose (Oenothera), elm
(Ulmus), grape (Vitis), tomato (Lycopersicon),
purslane (Portulaca), Fuschia.
All larvae seem, however, to have red/black swellings split by
dorso-lateral lines.
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Proserpinus flavofasciata;
Yellow-banded Day Sphinx:
Willow weed (Epilobium); possibly thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus).
slight possibility
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Proserpinus juanita;
Juanita Sphinx; Douglas/Adams/El Paso/Jefferson
Larvae feed on (Onagraceae) including evening primrose
(Oenothera), gaura (Gaura), and willow weed
(Epilobium).
Early instars are green and lack the dark sharply contrasting
spiracular circles and other patterning.
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