Ocean County, New Jersey
Sphingidae
Darapsa pholus (now choerilus) by Bill Oehlke
This site has been created by Bill Oehlke.
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information/sightings are welcomed by Bill.
The page is inspired by and dedicated to Ned Hood of Lumberton (Burlington County), New Jersey. Ned has sent me
extensive species sightings for Ocean County.
Forty-six Sphingidae species are listed for New Jersey on the BAMONA website as of August 6, 2014. Not all of the species are reported or anticipated in
Ocean County.
Twenty-two species,
Agrius cingulata,
Ceratomia amyntor,
Ceratomia catalpae,
Dolba hyloeus,
Lapara bombycoides,
L. coniferarum,
Manduca quinquemaculata,
M. rustica,
M. sexta,
Pachysphinx modesta,
Paonias astylus,
P. excaecata,
P. myops,
Paratraea plebeja,
Sphinx drupiferarum,
S. gordius,
S. kalmiae,
Darapsa choerilus,
Eumorpha pandorus,
Hemaris gracilis,
Hyles lineata,
Xylophanes tersa, are reported on BAMONA as of August 6, 2014).
It is hoped that this checklist, with the thumbnails and notes, will help you quickly identify the caterpillars you are likely to encounter.
I (William Oehlke) have added many species not listed by BAMONA which I expect are present or might be present, although unreported.
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 you sightings to BAMONA, an excellent on-line resource.
A "NH" indicates the moth is reported by Ned Hood.
Many thanks to Ann-Marie Woods who confirms Sphinx poecila with digital images.
Visit Ocean County Sphingidae Larvae: Caterpillars; Hornworms
Visit New Jersey Catocala: Underwing Moths
If you are travelling, you can find active Sphingidae checklists for all countries in North, Central, and South America and the Caribbbean via the links at
North, Central, South American Sphingidae checklists
Sphinginae subfamily
Sphingini tribe:
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Agrius cingulata NH,
Pink-spotted Hawkmoth
stray.
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
NH/BAMONA,,
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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Ceratomia catalpae
NH/BAMONA,,
the Catalpa Sphinx.
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 and the upperside of the hindwing
is yellowish brown with obscure lines. |
 |
Ceratomia undulosa
NH, 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.
|
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Dolba hyloeus
NH/BAMONA,, the Pawpaw
Sphinx.
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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Lapara bombycoides
NH/BAMONA, 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.
|
 |
Lapara coniferarum
BAMONA, 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 forewing is gray-brown with wavy lines, black
dashes, and one or two small white spots near the center of the
costa. |
 |
Manduca jasminearum
NH, the Ash Sphinx.
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.
|
 |
Manduca quinquemaculatus
NH/BAMONA,
the Five-spotted Hawkmoth.
The moth abdomen usually has five but sometimes six pairs of yellow
bands. The upperside of the forewing is blurry brown and gray.
|
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Manduca rustica
NH/BAMONA, 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
NH/BAMONA,, the Carolina Sphinx.
The abdomen usually has six pairs of yellow bands, broken across the
back. The sixth set of markings is quite small.
The upperside of the forewing has indistinct black, brown, and
white markings.
|
 |
Paratrea plebeja
NHBAMONA, Plebeian Sphinx.
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.
|
 |
Sphinx chersis
NH,
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 larvae hide in the day and feed
primarily on cherry, plum, and apple at night. |
 | The outer margins of the forewings are slightly concave in the
male, but not in the female. The costal half of the forewings are
grey, but the posterior portion is a distinctive warm
yellowish-brown; the boundary between these two areas is marked
with a series of dark diagonal streaks. |
 |
Sphinx gordius
NH/BAMONA, the
Apple Sphinx.
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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Sphinx kalmiae
NHBAMONA, 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.
|
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Sphinx poecila A-MW, Poecila Sphinx.
If you have blueberries in the woods, then you might have Poecila Sphinx.
Pretty common here on Prince Edward Island; surprised to see it image confirmed in Ocean and/or Burlington counties by Ann-Marie Woods. |
Sphinx poecila, Ann-Marie Woods
Smerinthini Tribe:
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Amorpha juglandis
NH,
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.
See the file for the female; she is different. |
 |
Pachysphinx modesta
BAMONA,
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. |
 |
Paonias astylus
NH/BAMONA, the Huckleberry Sphinx.
This appears to be an uncommon species. Blueberry and
huckleberry (Vaccinium), cherries (Prunus) and willows (Salix) are
the favorites as larval foodplants.
|
 |
Paonias excaecata
NH/BAMONA,
the Blinded Sphinx.
Named for the dull grey-blue spot (minus dark pupil) in the hindwing,
this moth has a wide distribution and is common in Burlington
County.
I regularly see them on Prince Edward Island, and they are reported
as far south as Florida. |
 |
Paonias myops
NHBAMONA, the Small-eyed Sphinx.
Named for the small eye-spot in the hindwing, this moth has a wide distribution
and is common in Burlington County.
I regularly see them on Prince Edward Island, and they are reported
as far south as Florida.
|
 |
Smerinthus jamaicensis
NH/USGS,
the Twin-spotted Sphinx.
This moth is widely distributed and fairly common.
Along the East Coast, it flies from P.E.I. to Florida. |
Macroglossinae subfamily
Dilophonotini tribe:
See Hemaris comparison to help distinguish
the next three species.
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Hemaris thysbe
NH, 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.
|
 |
Hemaris diffinis
NH, the
Snowberry Clearwing or Bumblebee Moth.
Adults mimic bumblebees and are quite variable. The wings are
basically clear, with dark brown to brownish-orange veins, bases and
edges. The thorax is golden-brown to dark greenish-brown.
|
 |
Hemaris gracilis
NH/BAMONA, the
Slender Clearwing or Graceful Clearwing.
Hemaris gracilis is distinguished from similar species by a pair of
red-brown bands on the undersides of the thorax, which varies from
green to yellow-green dorsally and sometimes brown with white
underneath. They have a red abdomen.
|
Hemaris gracilis Tony McBride
Philampelini tribe:
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Eumorpha achemon
NH,
the Achemon Sphinx.
Adults nectar from flowers of Japanese honeysuckle
(Lonicera japonica), petunia (Petunia hybrida), mock orange
(Philadelphus coronarius), and phlox (Phlox).
Note the differences between this moth and the Pandorus Sphinx. |
 |
Eumorpha fasciatus
A-MW; likely a stray, Banded Sphinx. Upperside dark pinkish brown. Each forewing has
lighter brown band along costa, sharp pinkish white bands and
streaks. Larvae: primrose-willow, Ludwigia (water primrose)
and other plants in evening primrose family.
|
 |
Eumorpha pandorus
NH/USGS,
the Pandorus Sphinx.
If you have Grape or Virginia Creeper nearby, then you probably have
this species. |
Macroglossini tribe:
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Amphion floridensis
NH,
the Nessus Sphinix.
This day flier is widely distributed. If you have Virginia Creeper,
you probably have the Nessus Sphinx. It is reported from
Burlington.
Two bright, distinct, narrow yellow
bands are often visible on the abdomen.
|
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Darapsa choerilus
NHBAMONA, 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.
They are probably common
in Burlington County.
|
 |
Darapsa myron
NH/, the Virginia Creeper Sphinx or the Grapevine Sphinx.
The forewing upperside is dark brown to pale yellowish gray, with an
olive tint. This species was quite common in rural New Jersey where
the forewing color contained more green than described above. |
 |
Darapsa versicolor
NH,
the Hydrangea Sphinx.
The forewing upperside is often greenish brown (photo to right) with
curved dark lines and pinkish-white patches.
|
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Deidamia inscriptum
NH,
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.
The upperside of the hindwing is orange-brown with a dark brown outer margin and median line.
|
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Hyles lineata
NHBAMONA, 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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Sphecodina abbottii
NH,
the Abbott's Sphinx.
This moth is very much under reported across the United States. It
is a rapid day flier so is probably not in too many collections.
Grape is a popular larval host.
|
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Xylophanes tersa
NH,
the Tersa Sphinx.
The upperside of the forewing is pale brown with lavender-gray at the
base and has dark brown lengthwise lines throughout. The upperside of
the hindwing is dark brown with a band of whitish, wedge-shaped
marks.
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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.
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