Sphinginae subfamily
Sphingini tribe:
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Agrius cingulata,
USGS Pink-spotted Hawkmoth:
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
USGS,
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). |
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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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Ceratomia hageni
USGS,
Hagen's Sphinx or Osage Orange Sphinx
The upperside of the forewing is gray with a green tint and has dark
indistinct wavy lines, and pale gray patches at the wing tip and
along the costa. |
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Ceratomia undulosa
USGS, 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. |
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Dolba hyloeus
USGS/BS, 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. |
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Isoparce cupressi
USGS, 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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Lapara coniferarum
USGS, the Southern Pine Sphinx:
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.
rare -- eastern species
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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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Manduca rustica, Laguna Madre, Flour Bluff, Corpus Christi, August 13, 2013, Tim Belde.
Manduca rustica, Alvin, Brazoria County, September 6, 2018, Brian Starr.
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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 gemina
USGS,
the Gemmed Sphinx Moth
The upperside of the forewing is gray with wavy black and light
gray bands and two small gray spots near the center of the costa.
rare
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Smerinthini Tribe:
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Amorpha juglandis
USGS,
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. |
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Pachysphinx modesta
USGS,
the Modest Sphinx or Poplar Sphinx
They are common on Prince Edward Island, and are
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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. |
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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 found in many southeastern Texas counties.
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. |
Macroglossinae subfamily
Dilophonotini tribe:
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The body is brown with a wide white band across the abdomen. The
upperside of wings is dark brown; the forewing has two bands of pale
spots and lacks a black spot (typical of clavipes) at the end of the
cell. rare |
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Aellopos titan
JD/BF, the Titan Sphinx:
The body is dark brown with a wide white stripe across the abdomen.
The wings are dark brown. It is very similar to above species, but
the upperside of the hindwing has pale patches along the costa and
inner margin. There is also a black dot end of the cell.
rare
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Aellopos titan, Port O'Connor, Calhoun County, August 8, 2008, Brush Freeman.
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Enyo lugubris, the Mournful Sphinx,
WO stray:
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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Erinnyis ello
USGS, the Ello Sphinx
This species is sporadically reported in southern Texas counties.
Males and females differ.
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This moth flies in Haiti and Jamaica south to Paraguay and Bolivia
with occasional sightings in Texas and Arizona.
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Erinnyis obscura, the Obscure Sphinx,
USGS:
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.
rare
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See Hemaris comparison to help distinguish
the next two 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
USGS,
Snowberry Clearwing, Bumblebee Moth:
Adults mimic bumblebees; quite variable. Wings: basically clear, with dark brown to
brownish-orange veins, bases, edges. Thorax: golden-brown to
dark greenish-brown. Abdomen tends to be dark (black) with 1-2
yellow segments before tip.
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Pachylia ficus, the Fig Sphinx,
USGS:
Fw upperside: orangish brown
with paler patch along costa at tip.
Hw uperside: orange to orangish brown with black outer border,
black median band, and white spot on outer margin near body.
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Philampelini tribe:
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Eumorpha achemon
USGS,
the Achemon Sphinx:
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
USGS, 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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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. |
Eumorpha pandorus, near Ingleside, 30 miles north of Corpus Christi, Jack Millen, April 18, 2011
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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. The hindwing has a pink patch on the inner margin.
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Eumorpha vitis, Laredo, Webb Co., Texas, courtesy of Ricardo Santos, May 15, 2008
Macroglossini tribe:
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Amphion floridensis
USGS,
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.
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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 USGS, 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. rare
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Deidamia inscriptum
USGS,
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.
Grape (Vitis), ampelopsis (Ampelopsis), and Virginia creeper
(Parthenocissus) all serve as larval hosts. |
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Hyles lineata
USGS, the White-lined Sphinx
This species has
strong migrating tendancies from much further south.
There are records from New Hampshire and Maine. |
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The rare and possibly endangered Proud Sphinx flies from Texas and
Louisiana east to northern Florida, north to Alabama, Missouri,
northern Georgia, and South Carolina. rare
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The upperside of the forewing is pale gray-green with a deep
green-brown median area and a white dash at the wing tip.
rare
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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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Xylophanes tersa
USGS,
the Tersa Sphinx:
The upperside of the forewing is pale brown with lavender-gray at the
base and has dark brown lengthwise lines throughout. The upperside of
the hindwing is dark brown with a band of whitish, wedge-shaped marks.
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