Sphinginae subfamily
Sphingini tribe:
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This species is a strong migrant and adults nectar from
deep-throated flowers including moonflower (Calonyction aculeatum),
morning glory (Convolvulus), honey suckle (Lonicera)
and petunia (Petunia species).
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The upperside of the forewing is yellowish brown with no white markings, but there are indistinct black lines and dashes. The cell spot is gray with a black outline.
The larvae feed in large groups and are much more spectacular than the moths. Catalpa is the larval host.
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The upperside of the forewing is pale brownish gray with wavy black and white lines and a black-outlined white cell spot. The upperside of the hindwing is gray with
diffuse darker bands.
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The upperside of the forewing is a blurry yellowish gray. The
upperside of the hindwing is dark gray with yellow at the base and a
dark "tooth" projecting from the margin into the translucent area
between each vein.
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The upperside of the forewing is dark brown with a dusting of white
scales. Some moths have patches of reddish or yellowish brown on the
wings.
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Isoparce cupressi
WO,
the Cypress or Baldcypress Sphinx
Isoparce cupressi, the rare Cypress Sphinx, flies in Cypress swamps in Georgia (specimen type locality), and from Maryland to Texas.
It has been reported in Mexico.
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The upperside is of the forewing is gray with two
(sometimes one or three) black dashes near the wing center; other
markings are usually diffuse. The upperside of the hindwing is a uniform brown-gray.
If you've got pines, this species is likely present.
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The upperside of forewing is gray to grayish brown with a black line
running from the middle of the costa to the middle of the outer
margin; the line may be broken near the margin. There is a splash of
brown around the cell spot.
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If you grow tomatoes, you might encounter Manduca quinquemaculatus.
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Look for three large yellow spots
on each side of the abdomen. The upperside of the forewing is
yellowish brown to deep chocolate brown with a dusting of white
scales and zigzagged black and white lines.
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Manduca sexta
BAMONA,
the Carolina Sphinx
If you grow tomatoes, you have probably encountered Manduca sexta
in the larval stage.
Larvae get very large and can strip a tomato plant.
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| The upperside of the forewing is gray with indistinct black and
white markings. There is a series of black dashes
from the base to the tip, and a small white cell spot.
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The upperside of the forewing ranges from brown with black borders
through brownish gray with paler borders to pale gray with no
borders.
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Smerinthini Tribe:
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The adults are also highly variable; sometimes wings of an individual
may be all one color or may have several colors, ranging from pale to
dark brown, and may have a white or pink tinge. Patterns range from
faint to pronounced.
See the file for the female; she is different.
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Named for the dull grey-blue spot (minus dark pupil) in the hindwing,
this moth has a wide distribution in the eastern United States.
I regularly see them on Prince Edward Island, and they are reported
as far south as southern Florida.
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Named for the small eye-spot in the hindwing, this moth has a wide
distribution and is probably present in Manatee County.
I regularly see them on Prince Edward Island, and they are reported
as far south as southern Florida.
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Protambulyx strigilis
BAMONA,
the Streaked Sphinx:
The inner margin of the forewing is indented. The upperside of the
forewing is pale yellowish gray in the pale form and reddish brown in
the dark form. Both forms have a distinct submarginal line and a dark
band along the indentation in the inner margin.
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Macroglossinae subfamily
Dilophonotini tribe:
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The body is reddish brown with a wide white band across the abdomen.
The forewing upperside is reddish brown with a black cell spot and 3
white spots near the gray marginal area. A pale streak runs from
the cell spot to the inner margin of the wing.
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This species is reddish, has falcate wings
and flies after midnight.
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Enyo lugubris, the Mournful Sphinx,
BAMONA.
The body and wings are dark brown. The forewing has a large black
patch covering most of the outer half of the wing. There is a pale
tan cell spot (dark inner pupil), and a fairly straight median line
to the inside of the cell spot.
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The upperside of the forewing is dark brown with short yellowish
streaks on the forward half and wavy yellowish bands on the rear
half.
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The abdomen has very distinct gray and black bands. The female's
forewing upperside is pale gray with a few dark dots near the outer
margin.
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This moth flies in Haiti and Jamaica south to Paraguay and Bolivia
with occasional sightings in Texas and Arizona, and possibly Florida.
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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.
possibility
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The wide brown band down the center of the creamy-grey thorax and uppe rhalf of the abdomen, as well as the bright hindwing yellow band
clearly distinguish this species.
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See Hemaris comparison to help distinguish
the next two species.
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Hemaris thysbe
WO,
the Hummingbird Clearwing
It is not difficult to see why many gardeners would mistake an
Hemaris thysbe moth for a small hummingbird as it hovers,
sipping nectar from flowers through a long feeding tube.
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Hemaris gracilis
BAMONA,
the Slender Clearwing or Graceful Clearwing
This day-flying moth is less common and has not been recorded in
Manatee County, but it may be present.
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Madoryx pseudothyreus floridensis, the Floridian False-windowed Sphinx,
WO
The wing margins are scalloped. The upperside of the forewing is
brown with dark brown and tan markings. The forewing has a V-shaped
white spot near the center of the costa.
Nominate pseudothyreus is probably limited to Cuba, and Madoryx pseudothyreus bahamensis replaces
pseudothyreus in the Bahamas.
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Pachylia ficus, the Fig Sphinx,
WO
The upperside of the forewing is orangish brown with a paler patch
along the costa at the tip.
The upperside of the hindwing is orange to orangish brown with a
black outer border, a black median band, and a white spot on the
outer margin near the body.
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The abdomen of the Caicus sphinx has distinct black and tan bands.
The upperside of the forewing is brown with a tan band along the
inner margin and a thin tan streak in the middle of the wing.
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The upperside of the forewing is dark brown with a dark spot at the
base of the costa and blurry gray and white markings. The upperside
of the hindwing is dark brown with white along the inner margin, and
the lower half of the outer margin. big, colourful larva
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Philampelini tribe:
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Larvae get large and feed on grape vines and Virginia creeper.
Note the differences between this moth and the Pandorus Sphinx.
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Eumorpha fasciatus
BAMONA,
the Banded Sphinx
The upperside of the moth is dark pinkish brown. Each forewing has a
lighter brown band along the costa, and sharp pinkish white bands and
streaks. Larvae feed upon primrose-willow, Ludwigia (water primrose)
and other plants in the evening primrose family.
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The Gaudy Sphinx flies in America, and although primarily a tropical
species, it has been taken as far north as Saskatchewan as a stray.
Forewings are a vibrant grey-green.
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If you have Grape or Virginia Creeper nearby, then you probably have
this species.
I often get asked to identify larvae from areas not
previously reported.
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Macroglossini tribe:
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This day flier is widely distributed. If you have Virginia Creeper, you
probably have the Nessus Sphinx. Two bright, distinct, narrow yellow
bands are often visible on the abdomen.
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Cautethia grotei
WO,
the Grote's Sphinx:
The upperside of the forewing is pale silvery gray with black markings; in some moths the wing base may be very dark.
The upperside of the hindwing is deep yellow-orange with a black border that covers less than half the wing.
This species is rarely recorded in the U.S., but there are sightings
from Florida, South Carolina, New Jersey, New York,
Massachusetts and New Hampshire, with northen sightings being rare strays.
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The lower wings of this hawkmoth are a solid brownish-orange,
matching the body colour.
You will often see this species listed as Darapsa pholus,
especially in older literature.
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Darapsa myron
BAMONA,
the Virginia Creeper Sphinx or the
Grapevine Sphinx
If you have the
foodplants indicated in the common names, you probably have this
species nearby. The lower wings are orange.
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Darapsa myron pale form,
BAMONA,
the Virginia Creeper Sphinx or the
Grapevine Sphinx
If you have the
foodplants indicated in the common names, you might have this
species nearby. The lower wings are pinkish-orange.
I was quite surprised by the
pale colouration of this moth.
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If you have hydrangea growing near a stream, then you might have the
Hydrangea Sphinx.
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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.
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The upperside of the forewing is pale brown with lavender-gray at the base and
has dark brown lengthwise lines throughout.
This moth is a strong migrant.
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The upperside of the forewing is olive green with a paler median band
and pale lines with purple shading along them.
The upperside of the
hindwing has a white spot surrounded by black at the base, a wide
orangish yellow median band, and a brown to greenish band along the
outer margin.
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The upperside of the forewing is olive-brown with lighter brown along
the outer margin. The upperside of the hindwing is brown with some
paler spots.
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