Sphinginae subfamily
Sphingini tribe:
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Agrius cingulata,
WO Pink-spotted hawkmoth,
stray
strong migrant; adults nectar from
deep-throated flowers including moonflower (Calonyction aculeatum),
morning glory (Convolvulus), honey suckle (Lonicera)
petunia (Petunia species).
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Ceratomia amyntor
WO,
Elm Sphinx/Four-horned Sphinx
Fw upperside brown with dark brown and white markings including white costal area near wing base, dark streaks along veins,
hite spot in cell.
Larvae: Elm (Ulmus), birch (Betula), basswood (Tilia), cherry (Prunus). |
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Ceratomia catalpae
WO/JS,
Catalpa Sphinx
Fw upperside yellowish brown with no white markings, indistinct black lines & dashes.
Gray cell spot with black outline. Larvae feed in large groups; much more
spectacular than moths. Catalpa: larval host.
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Ceratomia catalpae, Rehobeth, August 9, 2008, Joel Szymczyk.
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Ceratomia undulosa
WO/AL/JS, Waved
Sphinx
Fw upperside pale brownish gray with wavy black
& white lines & black-outlined white cell spot. Lw upperside
gray with diffuse darker bands. |
Ceratomia undulosa maybe, March 29, 2008, Alan Lee and Joel
Szymczyk.
Ceratomia undulosa, Rehobeth, August 9, 2008, Joel Szymczyk.
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Dolba hyloeus
WO, Pawpaw Sphinx
Fw upperside dark brown with dusting of white
scales. Some moths have patches of reddish or yellowish brown on
wings.
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rare, flies in Cypress swamps in Georgia (specimen type locality), & from Maryland to Texas.
It has been reported in Mexico.
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Lapara coniferarum
USGS/JS, Southern Pine Sphinx
Fw upperside gray with two
(sometimes one or three) black dashes near wing center; other markings usually diffuse. Lw upperside uniform brown-gray.
If you've got pines, this species is likely present.
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Lapara coniferarum, April 10, Joel Szymczyk.
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Manduca jasminearum
WO, Ash Sphinx
Fw upperside gray to grayish brown with black line
running from middle of costa to middle of outer
margin; line may be broken near margin. Splash of
brown around cell spot.
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Manduca quinquemaculata
WO/JS,
Five-spotted Hawkmoth
I suspect if you grow tomatoes, you are likely to encounter Manduca quinquemaculata.
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Manduca rustica
WO, Rustic Sphinx
Look for three large yellow spots
on each side of abdomen. Fw upperside
yellowish brown to deep chocolate brown with dusting of white
scales & zigzagged black & white lines.
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Manduca sexta
WO/JS, Carolina Sphinx
If you grow tomatoes, you have probably encountered Manduca sexta
in the larval stage.
Larvae: very large, can strip tomato plant.
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Manduca sexta, Rehobeth, August 9, 2008, Joel Szymczyk.
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Neococytius cluentius
WO/stray, Cluentius Sphinx
Fw upperside blurry black with orange markings. Hw upperside black with orange at base &
orangish yellow patches between veins, forming band across wing.
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Paratrea plebeja
WO, Plebeian Sphinx
Fw upperside gray with indistinct black &
white markings. Series of black dashes
from base to tip, & small white cell spot.
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Sphinx franckii
WO, Franck's Sphinx Moth
Fw costal half grey, but posterior portion
is distinctive warm yellowish-brown; boundary between these two
areas marked with series of dark diagonal streaks. Similar to
S. kalmiae but lacks dark bar
along fw inner margin. |
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Sphinx kalmiae
WOAL/JS, Laurel Sphinx
Lower forewings predominantly brownish-yellow with fairly
wide dark bar along inner margin. At rest wings hug body,
giving moth long slender look.
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Sphinx kalmiae, March 29, April 10, 2008, Alan Lee and Joel
Szymczyk.
Smerinthini Tribe:
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Amorpha juglandis
WO/JS,
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, & may have white or pink tinge. Patterns range from
faint to pronounced.
Female is different.
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Amorpha juglandis, April 10, Joel Szymczyk
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Pachysphinx modesta
WO,
Modest Sphinx/Poplar Sphinx
They are common on Prince Edward Island, and are
possibility for Houston County. |
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Paonias astylus
WO, Huckleberry Sphinx
Paonias astylus flies from March-September in Florida and from
April-September in Louisiana. There is one brood northward from
June-August.
Uncommon species.
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Paonias excaecata
WO/JS,
Blinded Sphinx
Named for dull grey-blue spot (minus dark pupil) in hindwing,
wide distribution in eastern US.
I regularly see them on Prince Edward Island, reported
as far south as Florida. |
Paonias excaecata: Joel Szymczyk report sighting
September 2, 2008
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Paonias myops
USGS/JS, Small-eyed Sphinx
Named for the small eye-spot in lw, wide
distribution, probably common in Houston County.
I regularly see them on Prince Edward Island, reported
as far south as Florida.
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Paonias myops: Joel Szymczyk report sightings
March 16, 22, 29, 2008
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Smerinthus jamaicensis
WO/JS,
Twin-spotted Sphinx
Widely distributed, fairly common.
Along the East Coast, it flies from P.E.I. to Florida.
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Smerinthus jamaicensis male, September 7, 2008, 2230 hrs, Rehobeth,
Joel Szymczyk.
Macroglossinae subfamily
Dilophonotini tribe:
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Aellopos titan
WO, Titan Sphinx. possible stray
Body dark brown with wide white stripe across abdomen.
Wings dark brown. |
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Enyo lugubris, Mournful Sphinx,
WO
Body & wings dark brown. Fw has large black
patch covering most of outer half of wing. Pale
tan cell spot (dark inner pupil), fairly straight median line
to inside of cell spot.
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Erinnyis obscura, Obscure Sphinx,
WO
Adults nectar at flowers, including bouncing bet
(Saponaria officinalis) & Asystasia gangetica beginning at dusk.
July/August are flight times in southern states. remote possibility
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See Hemaris comparison to help distinguish
the next two species.
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Hemaris thysbe
WO, Hummingbird Clearwing
Not difficult to see why many gardeners would mistake an
Hemaris thysbe moth for small hummingbird as it hovers,
sipping nectar from flowers through long feeding tube.
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Hemaris diffinis USGS, the
Snowberry Clearwing/ Bumblebee Moth
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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Pseudosphinx tetrio, the Tetrio Sphinx,
WO
Fw upperside dark brown with dark spot at
base of costa, blurry gray & white markings. Lw upperside
dark brown with white along inner margin, &
lower half of outer margin.
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Philampelini tribe:
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Eumorpha achemon
WO,
Achemon Sphinx
Larvae large, feed on grape vines & Virginia creeper.
Note differences between this moth & Pandorus Sphinx. |
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Eumorpha fasciatus
WO, Banded Sphinx/Lesser Vine Sphinx
Fw upperside dark pinkish brown with lighter brown band along costa, sharp pinkish white bands and
streaks. Larvae: primrose-willow, Ludwigia (water primrose),
other plants in evening primrose family.
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Eumorpha intermedia
WO, Intermediate Sphinx
Flies in lower austral & subtropical lowlands in North Carolina, Florida,
Mississippi, Louisiana, and South Texas. posibility
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Eumorpha pandorus
AL, Pandorus Sphinx
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. |
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Eumorpha typhon
WO,
Typhon Sphinx.
Fw upperside deep red-brown with pale brown bands.
Lw has pink along costal margin & triangular white spot
on outer part of inner margin. possible rare stray, based on Derek Bridgehouse report from Madison County.
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Macroglossini tribe:
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Amphion floridensis
WO,
Nessus Sphinix
Day flier, widely distributed. If you have Virginia Creeper, you
probably have Nessus Sphinx. Two bright, distinct, narrow yellow
bands are often visible on abdomen.
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Darapsa choerilus
JS, Azalea Sphinx
Lw solid brownish-orange, matching the body colour.
You will often see this species listed as Darapsa pholus,
especially in older literature. |
Darapsa choerilus: Joel Szymczyk report sightings
March 16, 22, 29, 2008
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Darapsa myron
WO/AL/JS, Virginia Creeper Sphinx/Grapevine Sphinx
If you have foodplants indicated in common names, you probably have this
species nearby. Lw orange. |
Darapsa myron, March 29, 2008, Alan Lee and Joel
Szymczyk.
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Darapsa versicolor
WO,
Hydrangea Sphinx
If you have hydrangea growing near a stream, then you might have the
Hydrangea Sphinx.
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Deidamia inscriptum
JS,
Lettered Sphinx
Fw outer margin deeply scalloped; light brown with dark brown markings.
Small black & white spot near tip.
Larvae: Grape (Vitis), ampelopsis (Ampelopsis), Virginia creeper
(Parthenocissus). |
Deidamia inscriptum: Joel Szymczyk reports a sighting
March 16, 2008
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Hyles lineata
WO, White-lined Sphinx
This species has
strong migrating tendancies from much further south.
Records from New Hampshire & Maine. |
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Proserpinus guarae
WO,
Proud Sphinx
Rare, possibly endangered, flies from Texas &
Louisiana east to northern Florida, to Alabama, Missouri,
northern Georgia, South Carolina. slight possibility
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Sphecodina abbottii
WO/JS,
Abbott's Sphinx
Very much under reported across US. Rapid day flier, pobably not in too many collections.
Grape: larval host.
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Sphecodina abbottii, March 17, Cottonwood, Joel Szymczyk
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Xylophanes tersa
USGS,
Tersa Sphinx
Fw upperside pale brown with lavender-gray at base & has dark brown
lengthwise lines throughout. Lw upperside dark brown with band of whitish, wedge-shaped marks.
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