The Sphingidae of Iowa

Please help me improve this site by sending sighting data (species; location [county]; date) to Bill Oehlke. Images are also greatly appreciated and will be used and credited (with permission) on county pages. I will attempt to identify any Sphingidae larvae or adults that are unknown to you.

Aellopos titan, Marshalltown, Iowa, September 2005, courtesy of John Jude.

Hylkes lineata, Marshalltown, Iowa, 6:00 pm, September 23, 2005, courtesy of John Jude.

I suspect the following species might also fly in Iowa, but they are not listed on U.S.G.S. If you see any live specimens of these species, please let me know. The Sphingidae are strong fliers and adults often range beyond their reproductive zones.

Agrius cingulata possible stray
Dolba hyloeus possibly in eastern counties
Lapara bombycoides possibly in eastern counties
Sphinx franckii possibly in southern counties
Sphinx gordius possibly in eastern counties
Sphinx luscitiosa possibly in eastern counties
Sphinx poecila possibly in northeastern counties
Erinnyis ello possible stray
Erinnyis obscura possible stray
Hemaris gracilis possibly in northeastern counties
Eumorpha fasciatus unlikely stray
Darapsa versicolor possibly in southeastern counties

Enjoy some of nature's wonderments, giant silk moth cocoons. These cocoons are for sale winter and fall. Beautiful Saturniidae moths will emerge the following spring and summer. Read Actias luna rearing article. Additional online help available.

Eggs of many North American species are offered during the spring and summer. Occasionally summer Actias luna and summer Antheraea polyphemus cocoons are available. Shipping to US destinations is done from with in the US.

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This page is brought to you by Bill Oehlke and the WLSS. Pages are on space rented from Bizland. If you would like to become a "Patron of the Sphingidae Site", contact Bill.

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

Show appreciation for this site by clicking on flashing butterfly to the left. The link will take you to a page with links to many insect sites.

Individual county pictoral checklists (moths): Counties will be completed as sightings arrive. Currently only those in red are active.

Individual county pictoral checklists (moths): Counties will be completed as sightings arrive. Currently only those in red are active.

Individual county pictoral checklists (moths): Counties will be completed as sightings arrive. Currently only those in red are active.

Hyles euphorbiae, Panama (Shelby County), Iowa, July 28, 2007,
courtesy of Jenny Schechinger.

Jenny writes, "I just wanted to report that on 7/28/07 I found over a dozen of these caterpillars in my front yard! They have since disappeared- which i just learned from your website that they pupate in the ground. I live in Western Iowa in Shelby county just north of the town of Panama. It sounds like they are a rare find, so I'm excited to have found them."

Individual county pictoral checklists (caterpillars): Counties will be completed as sightings arrive. Currently only those in red are active.