Sphinginae subfamily
Sphingini tribe:
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Agrius cingulata
WO, the Pink-spotted Hawk Moth:
This species has not been reported in Cache County,
but may be there
as a stray. The moth is a very strong flier and is frequently
encountered far north of its usual range.
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Manduca quinquemaculata
BDR/BAMONA, the Five-spotted Hawkmoth:
This large bodied moth flies in tobacco fields and vegetable gardens
(potatoes, tomatoes) and wherever host plants are found.
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Manduca sexta
WO, the Carolina Sphinx:
This species is not recorded in Weber County, and would be an
unlikely possibility (usually more eastern).
If you grow tomatoes, however, you have may have encountered it.
Larvae get very large and can strip a tomato plant. |
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Sphinx asellus
Box Elder, the Asella Sphinx:
This species is not recorded in Weber County, but might be present
(usually more southerly).
It flies in pinyon-juniper woodland and similar arid situations in
Colorado (specimen type locality) and Nevada, Utah,
Arizona and New Mexico. |
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Sphinx chersis
BAMONA, the Northern Ash
Sphinx or Great Ash Sphinx: The upperside of the forewing is soft dark-gray to blue-gray with
a series of black dashes, one reaching the wing tip. Note grey
thorax with narrow black lines.
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Sphinx drupiferarum
BAMONA,
the Wild Cherry Sphinx:
This species is officially reported for Cache County.
I only see them only occasionally on P.E.I. despite visiting lights frequently. |
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This species is not reported for Weber County but should be present.
It flies in arid brushlands and desert foothills. |
 | This species is confirmed in nearby Weber County by James P. Tuttle, in a disjoint population
from its more common eastern distribution/range.
Note the pm line, absent in Sphinx poecila which flies
more to the north.
The terminal area, especially near the anal angle, is much darker
in Sphinx gordius than
in Sphinx poecila. |
 | The upperside of the forewing is dark grey to black with a
paler costa and pale area from the base to the wing's centre.
Prefered habitats include montane woodlands and mixed chaparral-type
vegetation. perhaps a misidentification |
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Sphinx vashti
BAMONA, the Snowberry Sphinx:
Snowberry Sphinx adults fly as a single brood in montane woodlands and along prairie
streamcourses from April to August.
The upperside of the forewing has a narrow black subterminal line
bordered by a white inverted V-shaped line on the outside, and a
black line at the apex. |
Smerinthini Tribe:
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Pachysphinx modesta
BAMONA,
the Modest Sphinx or Poplar Sphinx:
This large poplar/willow feeder is found in Cache County.
They are a heavy bodied species.
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Pachysphinx occidentalis
BAMONA,
the Big Poplar Sphinx:
This one is quite similar to Pachysphinx modesta, with modesta
being smaller and darker.
Moths should be on the wing from June-August. Lines are more distinct in occidentalis.
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Paonias excaecata
WO Doubtful, the Blinded Sphinx:
The grey-blue eyespot of the hindwing gives this species its name.
Larvae feed on birches, willows, cherries and oaks.
The outer edge of the forewings is quite scalloped. |
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Paonias myops BAMONA,
the Small-eyed Sphinx:
This small species is probably probably present as it
ranges across North America.
The hindwings have a small blue eyespot ringed with black on a yellow background.
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Smerinthus cerisyi
BAMONA, the Cerisyi's
Sphinx or One-eyed Sphinx, Larvae feed on poplars and willows:
Flight would be from late May-July as a single brood.
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 | Larvae feed on poplars, aspen and willows.
Note different shape of double arced forewing pm line compared to the straighter pm line of cerisyi, which it possibly replaces in northern Utah.
S. ophthalmica has smoother scalloping of the fw outer margin.
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Macroglossinae subfamily
Dilophonotini Tribe:
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Hemaris diffinis
WO,
the Snowberry Clearwing or Bumblebee Moth:
The moth flies along forest edges and in meadows, gardens and
brushy fields. Day-flying adults nectar at lantana, dwarf bush honeysuckle,
snowberry, orange hawkweed, thistles, lilac, Canada violet, etc.
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Hemaris thetis BAMONA, the Thetis Clearwing
Hemaris thetis is a very variable species, but almost always the abdomen sports contrasting black and
yellow hairs, the ventral surface being quite black. The legs also tend to be quite dark and there is a black mask
running across the eye and along the sides of the thorax.
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Hemaris senta
WO,
the Rocky Mountain Clearwing:
There is probably a single brood of this montane species from
May-August. The moth is seen along streamsides and in meadows in
mountainous areas. It is likely that senta is a synonym of thetis. |
Philampelini Tribe:
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Eumorpha achemon
Tooele,
the Achemon Sphinx:
This moth is not recorded for Cache County,
but it might be present wherever grapes are found.
Fight would be from June to August. Larvae feed on grape foliage. |
Macroglossini Tribe:
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Euproserpinus wiesti
WO very doubtful; more southerly,
Wiest's Primrose Sphinx:
Euproserpinus wiesti adults fly, during the day, over sand washes
and prairie
blow-outs as a single brood from May-June.
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Hyles lineata
BAMONA,
the White-lined Sphinx:
Adults usually fly at dusk, during the night, at dawn, and during the
day. Moths nectar at salvia and oviposit on a number of different
plants. It is confirmed for Weber County by USGS.
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Proserpinus clarkiae
BAMONA, Clark's Sphinx:
Adults fly in the afternoon from April-June in oak woodland and
pine-oak woodland in foothills, nectaring from chia, heartleaf
milkweed, golden currant, bluedicks, fairyfans, vetches,
thistles, hedgenettles, etc. |
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