Inspired by and dedicated to Brenda Wagner as per personal communication, (Manduca rustica; June 3, 2019); June 4, 2019
Updated as per James P. Tuttle's The Hawk Moths of North America, June 4, 2019
Updated as per BAMONA, June 4, 2019

Washington County, Utah, and Nearby Counties:
Iron, Garfield, Kane

Sphingidae

Manduca rustica, Ivins, Washington County, Utah,
June 3, 2019, courtesy of Brenda Wagner, id by Bill Oehlke.

This page is inspired by and dedicated to Brenda Wagner who sends what I believe is a first-time-ever-recorded sighting of Manduca rustica in Utah.

. Twenty-three Sphingidae species are listed in the USGS (now BAMONA) for Utah as of June 4, 2019. Not all of the species (only fourteen species are reported by USGS, now BAMONA, in Washington County:
Agrius cingulata; Manduca quinquemaculatus; Manduca sexta; Sagenosoma elsa; Sphinx chersis; Sphinx dollii; Sphinx perelegans; Sphinx vashti; Pachysphinx modesta; Pachysphinx occidentalis; Smerinthus cerisyi; Hemaris thetis; Eumorpha achemon; Hyles lineata.

A WO" after the species name indicates that I have no confirmed reports of this species in Washington County, but I (William Oehlke) expect that this moth is/may be present. I feel this checklist is also valid for nearby counties in south western Utah: Iron, Garfield and Kane.

Iron: Manduca quinquemaculatus; Sphinx chersis; Sphinx dollii; Pachysphinx modesta; Pachysphinx occidentalis; Paonias myops; Smerinthus cerisyi; Eumorpha achemon; Hemaris thetis; Hyles lineata.

Garfield: Manduca quinquemaculatus; Sphinx chersis; Sphinx dollii; Sphinx vashti; Pachysphinx occidentalis; Hemaris thetis; Hyles lineata.

Kane: Manduca quinquemaculatus; Sagenosoma elsa; Sphinx chersis; Sphinx drupiferarum; Sphinx dollii; Sphinx vashti; Pachysphinx occidentalis; Paonias excaecata; Smerinthus cerisyi; Hemaris thetis; Eumorpha achemon; Euproserpinus wiesti.

Sphinx chersis, Sphinx perelegans and Sphinx vashti are quite similar. Note the dark upper thorax with wide black bars extending to the abdomen on the image of Sphinx perelegans. In Sphinx chersis the entire thorax is uniform light blue-grey with very narrow dark lines.

Sphinx vashti lacks the checkered fringe on the hindwings.

Visit Sphingidae of the Americas to access similar Sphingidae lists (larvae and adult) for all US states and counties, all Canadian provinces, Mexico, all Central and South American countries. For many of the US counties there are larvae thumbnail checklists available via the individual state files.

Visit North American Catocala to access pictoral checklists for Catocala (underwing moths) for all US states and all Canadian provinces.

Sphinginae subfamily

Sphingini tribe:

Agrius cingulata Washington

The moth is a very strong flier and is frequently encountered far north of its usual range.

Manduca quinquemaculatus Washington/Iron/Garfield/ Kane, the Five-spotted Hawkmoth

This large bodied moth flies in tobacco fields and vegetable gardens (potatoes, tomatoes) and wherever host plants are found.

Manduca rustica BW, the Rustic Sphinx

This species is now officially recorded in Washington County, and it may be taken in other nearby counties. Look for three large yellow spots on each side of the abdomen.

Manduca rustica, Ivins, Washington County, June 3, 2019, Brenda Wagner.

Manduca sexta Washington, the Carolina Sphinx

If you grow tomatoes, you have probably encountered it, though.

Larvae get very large and can strip a tomato plant.

Sagenosoma elsa Washington/Kane, the Elsa sphinx

The upperside of the forewing has a wide white band along the costa from base to apex. The remainder of the wing has black and white bands.

Sphinx asella WO, the Asella Sphinx

This species is not recorded in Wayne County, and would be unlikely.
It flies in pinyon-juniper woodland and similar arid situations in Colorado (specimen type locality) and Nevada, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico.

Sphinx chersis Washington/Iron/Garfield/Kane, 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.

Sphinx drupiferarum WO/Kane, the Wild Cherry Sphinx

This species is not reported for Wayne County. I only see them only occasionally on P.E.I. despite visiting lights frequently.

Sphinx dollii Washington/Iron/Garfield/Kane, the Doll's Sphinx

It flies in arid brushlands and desert foothills.

Sphinx perelegans Washington, the Elegant Sphinx

Sphinx perelegans adults fly in montane woodlands and mixed chaparral-type vegetation as a single brood in the north, with adults mainly on the wing in June and July.
It flies from dusk until after midnight. Note dark thorax.

Sphinx vashti Washington/Garfield/Kane, the Snowberry Sphinx,

Snowberry Sphinx adults fly as a single brood in montane woodlands and along prairie streamcourses from April to August, usually further north.
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:

Pachysphinx modesta Washington/Iron, the Modest Sphinx or Poplar Sphinx,

This large poplar/willow feeder is reported in Washington County. They are a heavy bodied species.

Pachysphinx occidentalis Washington/Iron/Garfield/Kane, 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.

Paonias myops Iron, 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.

Paonias excaecata Kane, the Blinded Sphinx,
The outer margin of the forewing is quite wavy. There is a dark cell spot and a dark oblique line mid wing from the costa almost to the inner margin. Basic ground colour is pinkish brown.
Flight would be June-July.

Smerinthus cerisyi Washington/Iron/Kane, 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.

Smerinthus opthalmica WO?
Larvae feed on poplars, aspen and willows. Note different shape of double arced forewing pm line compared to the straighter pm line of cerisyi, directly above. S. ophthalmica has smoother scalloping of the fw outer margin.

Macroglossinae subfamily


Dilophonotini Tribe:

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. I believe senta is a junior synonym of thetis.

Hemaris thetis WashingtonIron/Garfield/Kane, the Thetis Clearwing or Bee Hawk 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.

Philampelini Tribe:

Eumorpha achemon Washington/Iron/Kane, the Achemon Sphinx

This moth is recorded for Washington County, but it may be present wherever grapes are found.

Fight would be from June to August. Larvae feed on grape foliage.

Macroglossini Tribe:

Euproserpinus wiesti WODoubtful/Kane, 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.

Hyles lineata Washington/Iron/Garfield, 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.




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