Cortland County, New York

Forty-six Sphingidae species are listed for New York on the BAMONA website. Not all of the species are reported or anticipated in Cortland County (three are currently (September 1, 2011) reported on BAMONA).

It is hoped that this checklist, with the thumbnails and notes, will help you quickly identify the moths you are likely to encounter.

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. A "BAMONA" indicates the moth is reported on the BAMONA website and/or in Lepidoptera of North America, #1. Distribution of Silkmoths (Saturniidae) and Hawkmoths (Sphingidae) of Eastern North America, an excellent little booklet available through Paul Opler.

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.

Visit Sphingidae of the Americas to access similar Sphingidae lists for all US states and counties, all Canadian provinces, Mexico, all Central and South American countries. For many of the US counties there are larvae thumbnail checklists available via the individual state files.

Visit North American Catocala to access pictoral checklists for Catocala (underwing moths) for all US states and all Canadian provinces.

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

Sphinginae subfamily Sphingini tribe: Agrius cingulata WO stray Pink-spotted Hawkmoth This moth is a very strong flier, but would only make its way to Chenango County as a rare stray. Agrius cingulata is distinct has bright pink abdominal 'ribs'. 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. Ceratomia undulosa WO, 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. Dolba hyloeus WO, 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. 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. 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. Manduca quinquemaculatus WO, 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. The upperside of the hindwing is banded with brown and white and has two well-separated median zigzag bands. Manduca sexta WO, 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. Larvae get very large and can strip a tomato plant. Paratrea plebeja WO, the 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. North of normal range! Sphinx chersis WO, the Northern Ash Sphinx or Great Ash Sphinx This species might present but may not be common. Larval hosts are ash, lilac, privet, cherry, and quaking aspen. 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 gordius WO, Apple Sphinx: Colouration & markings highly variable from one specimen to another. Fw fringes mostly black with some white; those on hw mostly white with a few black patches. Fw upperside ranges from brown with black borders through brownish gray with paler borders to pale gray with no borders. Dashes, submarginal line, & cell spot usually weak. 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 might have the Poecila Sphinx. They are pretty common here on Prince Edward Island, but don't fly too far south of Massachusetts, being replaced by Sphinx gordius in Connecticut. Questionable for Chenango. 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 WO, the Modest Sphinx or Poplar Sphinx This moth has a large, heavy body, and females can be remarkably plump. Larvae feed on poplars and willows. Paonias excaecata WO, the Blinded Sphinx Named for the dull grey-blue spot (minus dark pupil) in the hindwing, this moth has a wide distribution and is probably common in your county. I regularly see them on Prince Edward Island, and they are reported as far south as Florida. Paonias myops WO the Small-eyed Sphinx Named for the small eye-spot in the hindwing, this moth has a wide distribution and is probably common in your county. I regularly see them on Prince Edward Island, and they are reported as far south as Florida. Smerinthus cerisyi WO, the Cerisyi's Sphinx Your county would be close to the southern limit for this species in New York. I never saw one in New Jersey. At my home in Montague, P.E.I., Canada, they are quite common. Smerinthus jamaicensis WO, the Twin-spotted Sphinx This moth is widely distributed and fairly common. Along the East Coast, it flies from P.E.I. to Florida. It probably flies in your county. Macroglossinae subfamily Dilophonotini tribe: See Hemaris comparison to help distinguish the next three species. Hemaris thysbe BAMONA, the Hummingbird Clearwing This interesting day flier is reported in Cortland, and is widely reported to the north, east, south and west. They are widely distributed in the east from P.E.I. to Florida. Hemaris diffinis WO, the Snowberry Clearwing or Bumblebee Moth Adults mimic bumblebees and are quite variable, both geographically and seasonally. 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 WO, 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. Philampelini tribe: Eumorpha achemon WO, the Achemon Sphinx This moth is not reported for Chenango, but it is fairly often reported along the coast from southern New Jersey to central Maine. Note the differences between this moth and the Pandorus Sphinx. 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: 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. 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. It is not yet confirmed for your county. Darapsa myron WO, the Virginia Creeper Sphinx or the Grapevine Sphinx This moth is not recorded for your county It is widely reported as far north as southern Maine. If you have the foodplants indicated in the common names, you probably have this species nearby. Darapsa versicolor WO, the Hydrangea Sphinx If you have hydrangea growing near a stream, then you may have the Hydrangea Sphinx. It has not been reported in Chenango, but likely is present although uncommon. 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. 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 confirmed in your county. Some years I see them on P.E.I., some years, I do not. Hyles lineata BAMONA, the White-lined Sphinx This species is reported from your county. It flies across southern New York and has strong migrating tendancies. There are records from New Hampshire and Maine. Sphecodina abbottii BAMONA, 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

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Cortland County Recording Sheets:
Days 1-16 page 1 A. cingulata to S. cerisyi
Days 17-31 page 1 A. cingulata to S. cerisyi
Days 1-16 page 2 H. diffinis to S. abbottii
Days 17-31 page 2 H. diffinis to S. abbottii
Days 1-16 blank
Days 17-31 blank

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