Sphinginae subfamily
Sphingini tribe:
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Agrius cingulata,
USGS 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
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). generally a more northerly species |
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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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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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Ceratomia undulosa March 25, 2006, Dr. Wasil Khan.
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Cocytius antaeus,
WO The Giant Sphinx,
migrant stray
This moth is a very strong flier, but would only make its way to
Jasper County as a rare stray. There are several reports from South Carolina.
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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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Isoparce cupressi
WO, the Cypress or Baldcypress Sphinx
Isoparce cupressi, the rare Cypress Sphinx, flies in Cypress
swamps in Georgia (specimen type locality), and from Maryland to
Texas. It has been reported in Mexico.
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This moth is not reported from Jasper County. If you have pines,
you might have this species, but it is generally a more northerly species.
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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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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.
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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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Sphinx chersis
WO, the Northern Ash Sphinx or Great Ash Sphinx
Larval hosts are ash,
lilac, privet, cherry, and quaking aspen.
questionable, generally more northerly
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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. possibility |
 | 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.
generally a more northerly species
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Smerinthini Tribe:
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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. |
Amorpha juglandis larva, October 21, 2007, Dr. Wasil Khan.
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Pachysphinx modesta
WO, the Modest Sphinx or Poplar Sphinx
This moth is generally a more northerly species, but has been observed in nearby Charleston County.
They are common on Prince Edward Island in eastern Canada. |
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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. |
Paonias excaecata: Dr. Wasil Khan confirms with image, April 26, 2006.
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Paonias myops
USGS, the Small-eyed Sphinx
Named for the small eye-spot in the hindwing, this moth has a wide
distribution and is probably present in Craven 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:
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The body and wings are dark brown. The forewing has a large black
patch covering most of the outer half of the wing. There is a pale
tan cell spot (dark inner pupil), and a fairly straight median line
to the inside of the cell spot.
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During the night adults nectar at flowers, including bouncing bet
(Saponaria officinalis) and Asystasia gangetica beginning at dusk.
July and August are flight times in the southern states.
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See Hemaris comparison to help distinguish
the next three species.
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Hemaris thysbe
USGS, 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, 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. The abdomen tends to be dark (black) with 1-2
yellow segments before the tip.
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Hemaris gracilis
WO, the
Slender Clearwing or Graceful Clearwing
This day-flying moth is less common, but has been seen in southern
N.J. and in eastern South Carolina and Florida.
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Philampelini tribe:
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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, the 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 intermedia
WO, the Intermediate Sphinx
The Intermediate Sphinx Moth, (Eumorpha intermedia),
(Wing span: 3 9/16 - 3 7/8 inches (9 - 9.8 cm)), flies in lower
austral and subtropical lowlands in North Carolina, Florida,
Mississippi, Louisiana, and South Texas. possibility
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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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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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This species is rarely recorded in the U.S., but there are sightings
in the east from Florida, South Carolina, New Jersey, New York,
Massachusetts and
New Hampshire.
There are no reports from Jasper County. rare
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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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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
This species has
strong migrating tendancies from much further south.
There are records from as far north as New Hampshire and Maine. |
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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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Sphecodina abbottii, April 22, 2006, Dr. Wasil Khan
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This moth is much more common to the south. It is a strong migrant,
however, and does establish itself in Jasper County, at least
periodically.
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