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Updated as per James P. Tuttle's The Hawk Moths of North America, October 20, 2009
Updated as per personal communication with Edna Bottorff, October 20, 2009
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Douglas County, Oregon
Sphingidae Larvae
Sphinx perelegans on border between Douglas County and Josephine County, Oregon,
October 20, 2009, courtesy of Edna Bottorff.
This page is dedicated to Edna Bottorff of Wolf Creek, Josephine County, Oregon, who sent me the images of the
Sphinx perelegans larva at top and bottom of this page. Edna indicates the larva was found on the road on the line of Josephine and Douglas counties,
October 20, 2009.
For care of "found larvae/caterpillars" visit Manduca sexta larva, central Texas, August 21, 2008, Trina Woodall.
Only twenty-three Sphingidae species are listed for Oregon on the U.S.G.S.
website. Not all of the species are reported or anticipated in
Douglas County.
It is hoped that this checklist, with the thumbnails
and notes, will help you quickly identify the larvae 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 with its larvae are present or
might be present.
A "USGS" indicates the
moth is reported 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.
Sphinginae subfamily
Sphingini tribe:
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The caterpillars are called Tomato Hornworms and each has a black horn at the end of the abdomen.
Larvae feed on potato, tobacco, tomato, and other plants in the
nightshade family (Solanaceae).
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Sphinx chersis
USGS, the Northern Ash Sphinx or Great Ash
Sphinx:
The larvae are pale bluish green. The head has a pair of yellow
lateral bands meeting at the apex. The oblique, lateral stripes are
pale and bordered anteriorly with a darker green.
Larval hosts are ash, lilac, privet, cherry, and quaking aspen.
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Larvae hide in the day and feed primarily on cherry, plum, and apple
at night. Larvae have been found on Amelanchier nantuckensis
in Massachusetts and have been reared to pupation in Michigan on
Prunus serotina. Note purple oblique lines.
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Sphinx perelegans
USGS/EB, the
Elegant Sphinx:
The basic body colour can be either glaucous or apple-green, without the earlier body tubercles. The oblique side stripes are white,
edged with purple.
The horn is sky blue. The spiracles are pale orange and the anal flap is edged with yellow.
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Sphinx perelegans larva, border between Douglas and Josephine counties, October 20, 2009, Edna Bottorff
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Larvae feed on California juniper (Juniperus californica) and Rocky Mountain juniper (J. osteosperma).
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and on coralberry (S. orbiculatus). Note the two golden
lines of slightly raised bumps, one just behind the head, the other
on the thorax. (unlikely, more easterly species)
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Smerinthini Tribe:
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Pachysphinx modesta
WO,
the Modest Sphinx or Poplar Sphinx
This moth is officially recorded in nearby Josephine County (possibly in error, more likely occidentalis). Larvae are fond
of poplars and
willows.
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Larvae feed on cottonwood and poplar (Populus) and willow
(Salix).
Larvae are very chunky with little to distinguish them
from Pachysphinx modesta.
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Larvae accept willows, birches, and cherries.
I have also found them in the wild on oak in eastern Canada.
Edna Bottorff found one on apple nearby in Wolf Creek, Josephine County, Oregon.
Skin is quite granulous.
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Smerinthus ophthalmica
WO:
Ophthalmica larvae resemble cerisyi larvae, both being pale
green, with granular skin, pale lateral diagonal lines, faint red
spiracular circles, and very pale longitudinal lines running from
head to more pronounced anal diagonal line.
Larvae have green heads bounded dorsally with pale yellow
inverted "V". Note blue horn.
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Macroglossinae subfamily
Dilophonotini tribe:
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Larval host plants include Snowberry (Symphoricarpos),
honeysuckle (Lonicera), Coralberry, viburnums, high bush cranberry and hawthorn (Crataegus).
Horn is black with a slightly lighter base. This western species was formerly classified as
H. diffinis or H. senta. Those species west of the Continental Divide are now classified as
H. thetis.
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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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Macroglossini tribe:
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Arctonotus lucidus
WO, the Pacific Green Sphinx or Bear Sphinx
Larvae feed on evening primrose (Oenothera dentata var. campestris) and
clarkias. David Wikle fed them on both Mexican evening primrose, Oenothera berlandieri and evening primrose, Oenothera biennis.
Earlier instars are green. Eye at dorsal posterior appears in fifth instar.
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Hyles lineata
USGS, 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 on elegant fairyfan (Clarkia unguiculata) in the evening primrose family (Onagraceae).
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Larvae feed on willow weed (Epilobium) and possibly thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus).
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Sphinx perelegans on border between Douglas County and Josephine County, Oregon,
October 20, 2009, courtesy of Edna Bottorff.
Sphinx perelegans on border between Douglas County and Josephine County, Oregon,
October 20, 2009, courtesy of Edna Bottorff.
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.
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requests for identification help.
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