Pennington County, South Dakota, and Nearby Counties:
Bennett; Custer; Fall River; Haakon; Jackson; Shannon
Sphingidae

This page is inspired by and dedicated to Lynne Steinley who provides the Eumorpha achemon images on this page.

This page will also serve as a checklist for the following southwestern counties in South Dakota: Bennett; Custer; Fall River; Haakon; Jackson; Shannon.

Twenty-four Sphingidae species are listed for South Dakota on the BAMONA website as of August 3, 2019. Most of those species plus some additions are anticipated in Pennington County (eleven are reported from Pennington County on BAMONA as of August 3, 2019). It is hoped that this checklist, with the thumbnails and notes, will help you quickly identify the moth larvaee you are likely to encounter.

A "WO" after the species name indicates that I (William Oehlke) expect that this moth is present or might be present. A "Pennington" indicates the moth is reported on BAMONA and/or in Lepidoptera of North America, #1. Distribution of Sphingidae of Western North America, an excellent little booklet available through Paul Opler. This booklet shows none for your county, but it provides useful data for interpolations.

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 send your sightings to BAMONA, an excellent resource, via link at top of page or to the left.

Pennington: Ceratomia undulosa; Manduca quinquemaculatus; Sphinx vashti; Pachysphinx occidentalis; Smerinthus cerisyi; Hemaris diffinis; Eumorpha achemon; Amphion floridensis; Hyles gallii; Hyles lineata; Proserpinus juanita;

Bennett: Sphinx vashti; Smerinthus jamaicensis; Hyles lineata;

Custer: Ceratomia amyntor; Sphinx chersis; Sphinx vashti; Paonias myops; Smerinthus cerisyi; Hemaris diffinis; Hyles lineata;

Fall River: Hemaris diffinis; Eumorpha achemon; Hyles lineata;

Haakon: Ceratomia undulosa; Pachysphinx modesta; Paonias myops; Hemaris diffinis;

Jackson: Manduca quinquemaculatus; Paonias myops; Eumorpha achemon; Hyles euphorbiae;

Shannon: Sphinx vashti; Hemaris diffinis.

Visit Pennington County Sphingidae Adults/moths.

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Visit South Dakota Catocala: Underwing Moths

Sphinginae subfamily Sphingini tribe: Ceratomia amyntor WO/Custer, the Elm Sphinx or Four-horned Sphinx Larvae feed on Elm (Ulmus), birch (Betula), basswood (Tilia), and cherry (Prunus). There are both green and brown forms. The four horns near the head are diagnostic. Ceratomia undulosa WO/Pennington/Haakon, the Waved Sphinx Fraxinus, Ligustrum, Quercus, Crataegus and Chionanthus virginicus are listed as hosts. In the fifth instar, the spiracular ovals are decidedly red and the anal horn is off-white to pinkish laterally. Manduca quinquemaculatus WO/Pennington/Jackson, the Five-spotted Hawkmoth 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). Sphinx chersis WO/Custer, 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. Sphinx drupiferarum WO, the Wild Cherry Sphinx. 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. Sphinx luscitiosa WO, the Canadian Sphinx or Clemen's Sphinx. Larval hosts are willow (Salix), poplar (Populus), birch (Betula), apple (Malus), ash (Fraxinus), waxmyrtle (Morella), and northern bayberry. Sphinx vashti WO/Pennington/Bennett/Custer/Shannon, the Snowberry Sphinx Larvae feed on the common snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) and on coralberry (S. orbiculatus). Note the two golden lines of slightly raised bumps, one just behind the head, the other on the thorax. Smerinthini Tribe: Amorpha juglandis WO?? generally more eastery, the Walnut Sphinx Amorpha juglandis larvae feed upon Walnut and butternut (Juglans), hickory (Carya), alder (Alnus), beech (Fagus), hazelnut (Corylus), and hop-hornbeam (Ostrya). Pachysphinx modesta WO/Haakon, the Modest Sphinx or Poplar Sphinx Larvae feed on poplars and cottonwood. Pachysphinx occidentalis; Big Poplar Sphinx; Modest Sphinx or Poplar Sphinx; Pennington; Larvae feed on cottonwood and poplar (Populus) and willow (Salix). Larvae are very chunky with little to distinguish them from Pachysphinx modesta. Paonias excaecata WO, the Blinded Sphinx Larvae accept willows, birches, and cherries. I have also found them in the wild on oak in eastern Canada. Paonias myops WO/Custer/Haakon/Jackson, the Small-eyed Sphinx 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. Smerinthus jamaicensis WO/Bennett/Custer, the Twin-spotted Sphinx 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. Smerinthus cerisyi WO/Pennington/Custer, 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". Macroglossinae subfamily Dilophonotini tribe: 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. Hemaris diffinis WO/Pennington/Fall River/Haakon/Shannon, 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. Philampelini tribe: Eumorpha achemon LS/Pennington/Fall River/Jackson, the Achemon Sphinx 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. Eumorpha achemon mature larva, Rapid City, Pennington, August 2, 2019, Lynne Steiner Macroglossini tribe: floridensis Pennington 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. Hyles euphorbiae WO/Jackson, Leafy Spurge Hawk Moth Larvae feed on leafy spurge. Larvae are also conspicuously colored, with a pronounced tail or "horn" near rear end. Young larvae are variously patterned with green, yellow, and black; older larvae have distinctive red, black, yellow, and white color pattern. Mature larvae may approach 10 cm in length; when disturbed, they regurgitate a slimy green liquid. Hyles gallii WO/Pennington, the Bedstraw Hawk Moth or Gallium Sphinx This species is not reported in Chippewa, but it has been recorded in eastern Wisconsin counties. I suspect it is present. Larvae come in black and in brown forms and often feed on Epilobium (fireweed). Hyles lineata WO/Pennington/Bennett/Custer/Fall River, 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. Proserpinus juanita WO/Pennington, the Juanita Sphinx Newly-hatched caterpillars eat their eggshells. Larvae feed on (Onagraceae) including evening primrose (Oenothera), gaura (Gaura), and willow weed (Epilobium). Michael Van Buskirk has found them on Guara biennis in Missouri. rare

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