Huron County
Sphingidae

Sphecodina abbottii, Filion, Huron County, Michigan,
May 28, 2007, courtesy of Jan Carson.

Forty-one Sphingidae species are listed on BAMONA for Michigan as of September 26, 2011. Not all of the species are reported (seven by BAMONA: Waved Sphinx, Modest Sphinx, Big Poplar Sphinx (possibly in error), Twin-spotted Sphinx, Snowberry Clearwing, Graceful Clearwing and Nessus Sphinx, as of September 26, 2011) or anticipated in Huron County.

I (Bill Oehlke) have added twenty-four species which I feel may be present. The Abbott's Sphinx is confirmed by Jan Carson.

It is hoped that this checklist, with the thumbnails and notes, will help you quickly identify the moths you have encountered.

A WO" after the species name indicates that I have no confirmed reports of this species in your county, but I (William Oehlke) expect that this moth is present.

This page is inspired by and dedicated to Jan Carson who sent me the image of Sphecodina abbottii at the top of this page.

Jan writes, "I somehow 'knew' that it is a Sphinx moth. Anyway, I'd love to know what this one is for sure. I enjoyed watching him feed like a hummingbird."

Please help me develop this list with improved, documented accuracy by sending sightings (species, date, location), preferably with an image, via email to Bill Oehlke.

Please also send your sightings to BAMONA, an excellent online resource.

Many thanks to Betsy Higgins who provides the Ceratomia undulosa image below.

Ceratomia undulosa, Harbor Beach, Huron County, Michigan,
July 22, 2010, courtesy of Betsy Higgins.

Sphinginae subfamily Sphingini tribe: 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. The upperside of the hindwing is light brown and has a dark brown band along the outer margin. Ceratomia undulosa BAMONA/BH, the Waved Sphinx 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. Ceratomia undulosa, Harbor Beach, Huron County, Michigan, July 22, 2010, courtesy of Betsy Higgins. Lapara bombycoides WO, the Northern Pine Sphinx The upperside of the forewing is gray with heavy black bands. The upperside of the hindwing is brownish gray with no markings. If you have pines, you might have this species. It also flies on P.E.I. Lintneria eremitus WO, the Hermit Sphinx. The upperside of the forewing is gray-brown with wavy lines, black dashes, and one or two small white spots near the center of the costa. The upperside of the hindwing is black with two white bands and a triangular black patch at the base. Note the golden hair on the thorax. Manduca quinquemaculatus WO, the Five-spotted Hawkmoth This large bodied moth flies in tobacco fields and vegetable gardens (potatoes, tomatoes) and wherever host plants are found. Manduca sexta WO, the Carolina Sphinx The upperside of the forewing has indistinct black, brown, and white markings. If you grow tomatoes, you have probably encountered it. Larvae get very large and can strip a tomato plant. Sphinx canadensis WO, Sphinx canadensis, the Canadian Sphinx, is not common, and is not often reported anywhere, but it might possibly be present in Huron County. Larval hosts are white ash (Fraxinus americana) and blueberry (Vaccinium). Sphinx chersis WO, 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. Sphinx drupiferarum WO, the Wild Cherry Sphinx Forewings, long and slender, are held close to the body when the moth is at rest. We have them on P.E.I., but I do not see them nearly as frequently as I see the other Sphingidae. Sphinx kalmiae WO, the Laurel Sphinx The lower forewings are predominantly brownish-yellow with a fairly wide dark bar along the inner margin. At rest the wings hug the body, giving the moth a long slender look. Sphinx luscitiosa WO, the Canadian Sphinx or Clemen's Sphinx. The upperside of the forewing is yellowish gray in males and pale gray with a faint yellow tint in females. In both sexes, the dark border on the outer margin widens as it approaches the inner margin. Sphinx poecila WO, the Poecila Sphinx If you have blueberries in the woods, then you probably have the Poecila Sphinx. They are pretty widespread throughout Michigan. Smerinthini Tribe: Amorpha juglandis WO, the Walnut Sphinx 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. Pachysphinx modesta BAMONA, the Modest Sphinx or Poplar Sphinx, This large poplar/willow feeder is reported in Huron County. They are a heavy bodied species. Paonias excaecata WO, 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 WO, the Small-eyed Sphinx This small species is probably widespread and common. This species ranges across North America. The hindwings have a small blue eyespot ringed with black on a yellow background. Smerinthus cerisyi WO, 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 jamaicensis BAMONA, the Twin-spotted Sphinx This moth is widely distributed and fairly common, and it is recorded in Huron. Along the East Coast, it flies from P.E.I. to Florida. Macroglossinae subfamily Dilophonotini Tribe: Hemaris diffinis BAMONA, the Snowberry Clearwing or Bumblebee 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. Hemaris gracilis BAMONA, The Slender Clearwing or Graceful Clearwing. Hemaris gracilis is distinguished from similar species by a pair of red-brown bands on the sides of the thorax, which varies from green to yellow-green dorsally and sometimes brown with white underneath. They have a red abdomen. 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. Philampelini Tribe: Eumorpha achemon WO, the Achemon Sphinx. Adults nectar at Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), petunia (Petunia hybrida), mock orange (Philadelphus coronarius), and phlox (Phlox). Larvae feed upon Grape (Vitis), Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) and other vines and ivies (Ampelopsis). Eumorpha pandorus WO, the Pandorus Sphinx If you have Grape or Virginia Creeper nearby, then you probably have this species. I often get asked to identify larvae from areas where they have not previously been reported. Macroglossini Tribe: Amphion floridensis BAMONA, the Nessus Sphinix 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. Darapsa choerilus WO, the Azalea Sphinx They are common in New Jersey and common here on Prince Edward Island. You will often see this species listed as Darapsa pholus, especially in older literature. Darapsa myron WO, the Virginia Creeper Sphinx or the Grapevine Sphinx This moth is not recorded on the U.S.G.S. site for Huron County. It is widely reported in southern Michigan and in southern Ontario. If you have the foodplants indicated in the common names, you probably have this species nearby. Deidamia inscriptum WO, the Lettered Sphinx The upperside is light brown with dark brown markings. There is a small black and white spot near the tip. The upperside of the hindwing is orange-brown with a dark brown outer margin and median line. Hyles gallii WO, the Bedstraw Hawk Moth or Gallium Sphinx This species is not reported in Huron, but it has been recorded in Michigan counties north and south. I suspect it is present. Some years I see them on P.E.I., some years, I do not. Hyles lineata WO, the White-lined Sphinx Adults usually fly at dusk, during the night, and at dawn, but they also fly during the day over a wide variety of open habitats including deserts, suburbs, and gardens. Sphecodina abbottii JC, the Abbott's Sphinx This moth is very much under reported on USGS. It is a rapid day flier so is probably not in too many collections. Grape is a popular larval host. Sphecodina abbottii, May 28, 2007, Filion, Jan Carson.

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.