Sphinginae subfamily
Sphingini tribe:
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Agrius cingulata, KB Pink-spotted hawkmoth.
Ipomoea batatas (sweet potato), (Datura) (jimsonweed), related plants. Also brown form. Look for very large, dark
spiracular circles. migrant stray as adult moth
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Ceratomia amyntor WO, Elm Sphinx, Four-horned Sphinx:
Both brown and green forms; four horns on thorax (near head).
Elm (Ulmus), birch (Betula), basswood (Tilia), cherry (Prunus). |
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Ceratomia catalpae WO, Catalpa Sphinx:
Gregarious feeders. Colouration distinctive. Larvaee much more spectacular than moths. Catalpa. |
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Ceratomia undulosa WO, Waved Sphinx:
Pinkish-orange tail, spiracles outlined in red, cream
stripes on head. Dramatic color change from dorsal yellow-green to lateral light greyish-blue not always
as intense as shown. |
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Dolba hyloeus WO, Pawpaw Sphinx: Smooth skin, blue-black horn, small black spiracles.
Pawpaw, Littleleaf sweetfern, possum haw,
inkberry, tall gallberry holly.
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Lapara bombycoides WO, Northern Pine Sphinx:
This caterpillar is also without the anal horn and feeds on pines. The long stripes and reddish brown afford great camouflage.
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Lapara coniferarum WO, Southern Pine Sphinx:
This caterpillar is also without the anal horn and feeds on pines.
The long stripes and reddish brown afford great camouflage. |
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Lintneria eremitus WO, Hermit Sphinx:
Note triangular bump on the thorax.
Beebalm (Monarda), mints (Mentha), bugleweed (Lycopis), sage (Salvia). |
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Manduca jasminearum WO, Ash Sphinx:
Larvae feed on ash in the Fraxinus genus. Syringa and Ulmus have also been reported. Note black anal horn.
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Manduca quinquemaculatus WO, Five-spotted Hawkmoth:
Solid black horn, dark spiracular rings. In addition to the white oblique lines, there are fainter white rings, especially on back.
I suspect if you grow tomatoes, you are likely to encounter it.
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Manduca rustica WO, Rustic Sphinx:
Note green horn, raised white bumps, strong dark lines anterior to white ones.
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Note the red horn and black dots anterior to the white oblique lines.
If you grow tomatoes, you have probably encountered it.
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Paratrea plebeja WO, Plebeian Sphinx:
Feed at night, hiding on dtem undersides by day. Common trumpetcreeper (Campsis radicans),
Florida yellow-trumpet (Tecoma stans), lilac
(Syringa species), passionflower (Passiflora species). Questionable
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| Sphinx canadensis WO, Canadian Sphinx:
Uncommon at lights, not often reported. May feed exclusively black ash (Fraxinus nigra).
Variable appearance, always with granulous (darker protrusions) on pinkish horn.
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Sphinx chersis WO, Northern Ash Sphinx, Great Ash Sphinx:
Pale blue horn, creamy-white stripes on head. Yellow form with red horn.
Ash, lilac, privet, cherry and quaking aspen.
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Sphinx drupiferarum WO, Wild Cherry Sphinx:
Hide in day, feed primarily on cherry, plum, apple at night, on Amelanchier nantuckensis
in Massachusetts; in Michigan on Prunus serotina. Note purple oblique lines.
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In the final instar, the black on the head, lateral lines, horn and on abdominal
legs is diagnostic. Larvae feed primarily on lilac and fringe.
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Smerinthini Tribe:
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Amorpha juglandis larvae feed upon Walnut and butternut (Juglans),
hickory (Carya), alder (Alnus), beech (Fagus),
hazelnut (Corylus), and hop-hornbeam (Ostrya).
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Pachysphinx modesta
WO,
the Modest Sphinx or Poplar Sphinx
This moth is not officially recorded in Bucks County. It is fond
of poplars and
willows.
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Larvae accept willows, birches, and cherries.
I have also found them in the wild on oak in eastern Canada.
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Wild cherry species are the favorites as larval foodplants, but eggs
will also be deposited on birches and other forest trees.
There are varying degrees in the amount of red markings along the sides.
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Smerinthus cerisyi
WO,
Cerisy's Sphinx;
Cerisyi larvae greatly resemble modesta larvae, both being pale
green, with granular skin, pale lateral diagonal lines, faint red
spiracular circles, and very pale longitudinal lines running from the
head to a more pronounced anal diagonal line.
Larvae have green heads bounded dorsally with a pale yellow
inverted "V".
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Larvae feed upon many forest trees including birches and cherries,
but are expecially fond of poplars and willows. Red markings on sides
vary greatly from specimen to specimen.
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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
There is also an orangey-pink prepupal form. The lateral line runs
from S1 to the blue horn.
Hemaris thysbe larvae feed on viburnum and related plants.
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Hemaris diffinis
KB, the
Snowberry Clearwing or Bumblebee Moth
Larval host plants include Snowberry (Symphoricarpos),
honeysuckle (Lonicera), Coralberry, viburnums, Blue Dogbane
(Apocynum) and dwarf bush honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera).
Horn is black with a yellow base.
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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 undersides of the thorax, which varies from
green to yellow-green dorsally and sometimes brown with white
underneath. They have a red abdomen. unlikely
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Philampelini tribe:
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Larvae feed upon Grape (Vitis), Virginia Creeper
(Parthenocissus quinquefolia) and other vines and ivies
(Ampelopsis).
Larvae occur in both a light (green) form and a darker (tan/brown)
form. Note six "segmented" oblique lines. |
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If you have Grape or Virginia Creeper nearby, then you might encounter
this species. Note the five large white ovals. There are orangey-brown and green
forms also. |
Macroglossini tribe:
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In additon to Virginia creeper larvae accept Grape (Vitis),
ampelopsis (Ampelopsis), and cayenne pepper (Capsicum).
Larvae are green until the final instar.
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Larvae feed on Azalea and Viburnum and progress very rapidly. The
larva to the left on Viburnum cassinoides is getting ready to
pupate. Color change from green to light burgundy-brown indicates
pupation is imminent.
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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.
Larvae feed on Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia),
Grape (Vitis), Ampelopsis, and Viburnum.
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Larvae feed on Smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens),
buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), and waterwillow
(Decodon verticillatus).
Note small head which can be retracted into the thorax.
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Grape (Vitis), ampelopsis (Ampelopsis), and
Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus) all serve as larval hosts.
The alternating yellow and greyish-green rings across the back
distinguish this larva.
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Hyles lineata
WO, the White-lined Sphinx
Larvae are highly varied and feed on a great diversity of plants
including willow weed (Epilobium), four o'clock (Mirabilis),
apple (Malus), evening primrose (Oenothera), elm
(Ulmus), grape (Vitis), tomato (Lycopersicon),
purslane (Portulaca), and Fuschia.
All larvae seem, however, to have the red/black swellings split by
dorso-lateral lines.
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Larvae feed at night on grape (Vitis) and ampelopsis
(Ampelopsis) and hide on the bark of their host plants during
the day. Virginia creeper would also be a suitable host. There is also a dark form
without the green patches. Note the "raised eye", replacing the anal horn.
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Larvae feed on Borreria, Catalpa
and Manettia spp. and
Smooth buttonplant (Spermacoce glabra) and starclusters
(Pentas species). They are also recorded on joe-pie weed and
Hamelia patens and on Hedoydis nigricans. The green form may be more
common.
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