Sphinginae subfamily
Sphingini tribe:
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Agrius cingulata,
WO Pink-spotted Hawkmoth:
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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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).
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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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Ceratomia undulosa
USGS, 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.
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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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The upperside of the forewing is gray with heavy black bands. The
upperside of the hindwing is brownish gray with no markings.
The underside is rather plain.
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Lapara coniferarum
WO, the Southern Pine Sphinx
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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Lintneria eremitus WO, the
Hermit Sphinx:
Fw upperside: gray-brown with wavy lines, black
dashes, and one or two small white spots near the center of the
costa. Hw upperside: black with two white bands
and a triangular black patch at the base. Note the golden hair on the
thorax.
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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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I suspect if you grow tomatoes, you are likely to encounter
Manduca quinquemaculata.
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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. maybe
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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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Paratrea plebeja, July 28, 2013, courtesy of Greg Gartner
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Sphinx chersis WO, the Northern Ash Sphinx or Great Ash Sphinx
Larval hosts are ash,
lilac, privet, cherry, and quaking aspen.
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We have them
on P.E.I., but I do not see them nearly as frequently
as I see the other Sphingidae.
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Sphinx franckii
WO, Franck's Sphinx Moth:
FW outer margins are slightly concave in male, not in female.
Costal half of forewings is grey, posterior portion is a distinctive
warm yellowish-brown; boundary between these two areas is marked with
series of dark diagonal streaks. HWs are
black with brown basal patch, median band and margin.
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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. Dashes, submarginal line, and cell spot are usually
weak.
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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.
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Smerinthini Tribe:
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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.
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Pachysphinx modesta
WO,
the Modest Sphinx or Poplar Sphinx
This moth has a large, heavy body, and females can be remarkably
plump.
Larvae are fond of poplars and willows.
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Paonias astylus flies from March-September in Florida and from
April-September in Louisiana. There is one brood northward from
June-August.
This appears to be an uncommon species.
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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 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 Buncombe County.
I regularly see them on Prince Edward Island, and they are reported
as far south as Florida.
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This moth is widely distributed and fairly common.
Along the East Coast, it flies from P.E.I. to Florida.
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Macroglossinae subfamily
Dilophonotini tribe:
See Hemaris comparison to help distinguish
the next three 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 diffinis
WO,
Snowberry Clearwing or Bumblebee Moth:
Adults mimic bumblebees; quite variable. Wings are basically clear, with dark brown to
brownish-orange veins, bases and edges. Thorax is golden-brown to
dark greenish-brown. Abdomen tends to be dark (black) with 1-2
yellow segments before tip.
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Hemaris gracilis WO, 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. unlikely, more easterly
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Philampelini tribe:
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Eumorpha achemon
WO,
the Achemon Sphinx
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
WO, 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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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 not
previously reported. |
Macroglossini tribe:
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Amphion floridensis
WO,
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.
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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 WO, 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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If you have hydrangea growing near a stream, then you might have the
Hydrangea Sphinx.
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Deidamia inscriptum
WO,
the Lettered Sphinx:
The moth's outer margin of the forewing is deeply scalloped.
The upperside is light brown with dark brown markings.
There is a small black and white spot near the tip.
Grape (Vitis), ampelopsis (Ampelopsis), and Virginia creeper
(Parthenocissus) all serve as larval hosts.
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Hyles lineata
WO, 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.
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Sphecodina abbottii
WO,
the Abbott's Sphinx:
Adults are said to mimic bumblebees and make a buzzing sound when
feeding. The wing margins are scalloped. The upperside of the
forewing is dark brown with light brown bands and markings. The
upperside of the hindwing is yellow with a wide black outer margin.
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This moth is much more common to the south. It is a strong migrant,
however, and probably does establish itself in Gaston County, at least
periodically.
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