Created/dedicated to Paul Shaw, July 28, 2022
Cross referenced on BAMONA website

Fayette County, West Virginia, and Nearby Counties:
Clay; Greenbrier; Raleigh, Boone Summers and Kanawha

Sphingidae

Darapsa versicolor, Lansing, Fayette County, West Virginia,
July 24, 2022, Paul Shaw.

This page is inspired by and dedicated to Paul Shaw who provides image of Darapsa versicolor directly above.

Forty-one Sphingidae species are listed for West Virginia on the BAMONA website. Not all of the species are reported or anticipated in Fayette County (seven are reported on BAMONA as of July 28, 2022; plus versicolor = eight). It is hoped that this checklist, with the thumbnails and notes, will help you quickly identify the moths you are likely to encounter. Please also send your images and sightings to BAMONA

A "WO" after the species name indicates that I have no confirmed reports of this species in Fayette County, but I (William Oehlke) expect that this moth is present or might be present. A "Fayette" indicates the moth is reported on the BAMONA website and/or in Lepidoptera of North America, #1. Distribution of Silkmoths (Saturniidae) and Hawkmoths (Sphingidae) of Eastern North America, an excellent little booklet available through Paul Opler.

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.

This page was originally created as a reference for Nicholas County, West Virginia, based on information provided in James P. Tuttle's excellent publication, The Hawk Moths of North America and several other general field guides. I feel it is likely also valid from the counties mentioned above, and I will proceed to reference them for each species below with county names and colour coding.

Fayette: Ceratomia catalpae; Paonias excaecata; Hemaris diffinis; Hemaris thysbe; Eumorpha pandorus; Darapsa myron; Amphion floridensis ;

Boone: Ceratomia amyntor; Ceratomia catalpae, Ceratomia undulosa; Dolba hyloeus; Lapara coniferarum; Manduca jasminearum; Manduca sexta; Paratrea plebeja; Sphinx franckii; Sphinx gordius; Sphinx kalmiae; Paonias astylus; Paonias excaecata; Paonias myops; Eumorpha pandorus; Amphion floridensis; Darapsa myron; Darapsa choerilus (pholus); Darapsa versicolor; Deidamia inscriptum; Xylophanes tersa;

Clay: Eumorpha pandorus;

Greenbrier: Ceratomia amyntor; Ceratomia undulosa; Lapara bombycoides; Lapara coniferarum; Manduca quinquemaculatus; Sphinx gordius; Sphinx kalmiae; Amorpha juglandis; Paonias astylus; Paonias excaecata; Paonias myops; Smerinthus jamaicensis; Hemaris thysbe; Eumorpha pandorus; Darapsa choerilus (pholus); Darapsa myron; Darapsa versicolor; Xylophanes tersa;

Kanawha: Agrius cingulata; Ceratomia amyntor; Ceratomia catalpae; Ceratomia undulosa; Dolba hyloeus; Manduca jasminearum; Manduca sexta; Sphinx drupiferarum; Sphinx franckii; Sphinx kalmiae; Amorpha juglandis; Paonias astylus; Paonias excaecata; Paonias myops; Hemaris diffinis; Eumorpha pandorus; Amphion floridensis; Darapsa myron; Darapsa versicolor; Hyles lineata; Xylophanes tersa;

Raleigh: Lapara coniferarum; Paonias excaecata; Paonias myops; Hemaris thysbe; Eumorpha pandorus;

Summers: Ceratomia amyntor; Ceratomia catalpae; Ceratomia undulosa; Lapara coniferarum; Manduca jasminearum; Manduca sexta; Paonias excaecata; Paonias myops; Smerinthus jamaicensis; Eumorpha pandorus; Amphion floridensis

Sphinginae subfamily

Sphingini tribe:

Agrius cingulata, WO/Kanawha Pink-spotted hawkmoth, stray. Strong migrant; adults nectar from deep-throated flowers including moonflower (Calonyction aculeatum), morning glory (Convolvulus), honey suckle (Lonicera), petunia.

Ceratomia amyntor WO/Boone/Greenbrier/Kanawha Summers, Elm Sphinx or Four-horned Sphinx. Forewing brown with dark brown & white markings including white costal area near wing base, dark streaks along veins, & white spot in cell. Larvae: elm (Ulmus), birch (Betula), basswood (Tilia), cherry (Prunus).

Ceratomia catalpae WO/Fayettee/Boone/Kanawha/Summers Catalpa Sphinx. Forewing: yellowish brown with no white markings, indistinct black lines and dashes. Cell spot gray with black outline. Larvae feed in large groups; much more spectacular than moths. Catalpa is the larval host.

Ceratomia undulosa WO/Boone/Greenbrier/Kanawha/Summers Waved Sphinx. Forewing pale brownish gray with wavy black & white lines & black-outlined white cell spot. Hindwing gray with diffuse darker bands.

Dolba hyloeus WO/Boone/Kanawha 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.

Lapara bombycoides WO/Greenbrier, Northern Pine Sphinx. less likely than next species

Lapara coniferarum WO/Boone/Greenbrier/Raleigh/Summers, Southern Pine Sphinx. Forewing gray with two (sometimes one or three) black dashes near wing center; other markings are usually diffuse. Hindwing uniform brown-gray.

Lintneria eremitus WO, Hermit Sphinx. Forewing gray-brown with wavy lines, black dashes, one or two small white spots near costa center. Hindwing black with two white bands & triangular black patch at base. Note golden hair on thorax.

Manduca jasminearum WO/Boone/KanawhaSummers, Ash Sphinx 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.

Manduca quinquemaculata WO/Greenbrier, the Five-spotted Hawkmoth

I suspect if you grow tomatoes, you are likely to encounter Manduca quinquemaculata.

Manduca rustica WO, Rustic Sphinx. 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.

Manduca sexta WO/Boone/KanawhaSummers, Carolina Sphinx. If you grow tomatoes, you have probably encountered Manduca sexta in larval stage. Larvae get very large and can strip a tomato plant.

Paratrea plebeja WO/Boone, Plebeian Sphinx 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.

Sphinx chersis WO, the Northern Ash Sphinx or Great Ash Sphinx

Larval hosts are ash, lilac, privet, cherry, and quaking aspen.

Sphinx drupiferarum WO/Kanawha, Wild Cherry Sphinx. We have them on P.E.I., but I do not see them nearly as frequently as I see the other Sphingidae.

Sphinx franckii WO/Boone, Franck's Sphinx Moth

The costal half of the forewings are grey, but the posterior portion is a distinctive warm yellowish-brown; the boundary between these two areas is marked with a series of dark diagonal streaks. Similar to S. kalmiae but lacks the dark bar along the fw inner margin.

Sphinx gordius WO/Boone/Greenbrier, Apple Sphinx

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.

Sphinx kalmiae WO/Boone/Greenbrier/Kanawha, Laurel Sphinx

The lower forewings are predominantly brownish-yellow with a fairly wide dark bar along the inner margin. At rest the wings hug the body, giving the moth a long slender look.

Smerinthini Tribe:

Amorpha juglandis WO/Greenbrier/Kanawha, Walnut Sphinx. 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.

Pachysphinx modesta WO??, Modest Sphinx or Poplar Sphinx They are common on Prince Edward Island, but are unlikely for Fayrtte and nearby counties.

Paonias astylus WO/Boone/Greenbrier/Kanawha, Huckleberry Sphinx. 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.

Paonias excaecata WO/Fayettee/Boone/Greenbrier/Kanawha/ Summers/Raleigh, Blinded Sphinx. Named for dull grey-blue spot (minus dark pupil) in hindwing, wide distribution in eastern United States. I regularly see them on Prince Edward Island, reported as far south as Florida.

Paonias myops WO/Boone/Greenbrier/ Kanawha/Summers/Raleigh, Small-eyed Sphinx. Named for the small eye-spot in hindwing, wide distribution; probably common in Fayette County. I regularly see them on Prince Edward Island; reported as far south as Florida.

Smerinthus jamaicensis WO/Greenbrier/Summers, Twin-spotted Sphinx. This moth is widely distributed and fairly common.

Along the East Coast, it flies from P.E.I. to Florida.

Macroglossinae subfamily


Dilophonotini tribe:

See Hemaris comparison to help distinguish the next three species.

Hemaris thysbe WO/Fayette/GreenbrierRaleigh, Hummingbird Clearwing. Not difficult to see why many gardeners would mistake an Hemaris thysbe moth for small hummingbird hovering, sipping nectar from flowers through long feeding tube.

Hemaris diffinis WO/Fayette/Kanawha, Snowberry Clearwing or Bumblebee Moth. Adults mimic bumblebees; quite variable. Wings are 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.

Hemaris gracilis WO, Slender Clearwing or Graceful Clearwing. Day-flying moth, less common; has not been recorded in West Virginia, but has been seen in southern N.J. & in eastern South Carolina & Florida. unlikely

Philampelini tribe:

Eumorpha achemon WO, Achemon Sphinx. Larvae get large and feed on grape vines and Virginia creeper. Note the differences between this moth and the Pandorus Sphinx.

Eumorpha pandorus WO/Fayette/Boone/Clay/Greenbrier/ Kanawha/Raleigh/Summers Pandorus Sphinx. If you have Grape or Virginia Creeper nearby, then you probably have this species.

Macroglossini tribe:

Amphion floridensis WO/Fayette/Boone/KanawhaSummers, Nessus Sphinix, Day flier, 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.

Darapsa choerilus WO/Boone/Greenbrier, Azalea Sphinx

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.

Darapsa myron WO/Boone/Greenbrier/Kanawha, 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.

Darapsa versicolor WO/PS for Fayettee/Boone/Greenbrier/Kanawha, Hydrangea Sphinx. If you have hydrangea growing near a stream, then you should have the Hydrangea Sphinx.

Deidamia inscriptum WO/Boone/Greenbrier, Lettered Sphinx. Forewing outer margin deeply scalloped. Upperside light brown with dark brown markings. Small black & white spot near tip. Grape (Vitis), ampelopsis (Ampelopsis), and Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus) all serve as larval hosts.

Hyles lineata WO/Kanawha, the White-lined Sphinx

This species has strong migrating tendancies from much further south. There are records from New Hampshire and Maine.

Sphecodina abbottii WO, the Abbott's Sphinx

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.

Xylophanes tersa WO/Boone/Kanawha, Tersa Sphinx. Much more common to the south. It is a strong migrant, however, and may establish itself in Fayette County periodically.

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Please send sightings/images to Bill. I will do my best to respond to requests for identification help.