Weld County, Colorado
Sphingidae Larvae

Hyles euphorbiae fifth instar, Poudre River Trail, Greeley, Weld County, Colorado,
September 9, 2009, courtesy of Tyson Fisher via Tiffany Joy.

Please help me develop this list with improved, documented accuracy by sending sightings (species, date, location), preferably with an image, via email to Bill Oehlke. I do not have confirmed reports of all of these species in Weld County, but I (WO) expect they are present.

This page is inspired by and dedicated to Tyson Fisher and Tiffany Joy of Greeley, Weld County, Colorado. Tiffany provides the beautiful images of a Hyles euphorbiae larva at top and bottom of this page. Her son Tyson Fisher found the caterpillar.

Eumorpha achemon fifth instar, Evans, Weld County, Colorado,
August 9, 2010, courtesy of Tisa Morehead (photographer) via Lisa Petersen.

Many thanks to Lisa Petersen and her daughter Tisa Morehead for providing image and data for Eumorpha achemon.

Sphinginae subfamily Sphingini Tribe: Ceratomia amyntor WO, the Elm Sphinx or Four-horned Sphinx Larvae feed on Elm (Ulmus), birch (Betula), basswood (Tilia), and cherry (Prunus). There are both green and brown forms. The four horns near the head are diagnostic. Ceratomia undulosa USGS, the Waved Sphinx Note the pinkish-orange tail, spiracles outlined in red and the cream stripes on the head. The dramatic color change from the dorsal yellow-green to the lateral light greyish-blue is not always as intense as in this image. Lintneria separatus USGS, the Separated Sphinx Salvia greggii has been confirmed as a larval host by Robert A. Behrstock. Jim Tuttle, tentative id, writes, "All of the penultimate instars of both Lintneria (Sphinx) istar and Lintneria (Sphinx) separatus that I have reared have been mundane green." Manduca quinquemaculatus USGS, the Five-spotted Hawkmoth The caterpillars are called Tomato Hornworms and each has a black horn at the end of the abdomen. Larvae feed on potato, tobacco, tomato, and other plants in the nightshade family (Solanaceae). Manduca sexta USGS, the Carolina Sphinx Note the red horn and black dots anterior to the white oblique lines. If you grow tomatoes, you have probably encountered it. Sphinx chersis WO, the Northern Ash Sphinx or Great Ash Sphinx: The larvae are pale bluish green. The head has a pair of yellow lateral bands meeting at the apex. The oblique, lateral stripes are pale and bordered anteriorly with a darker green. Larval hosts are ash, lilac, privet, cherry, and quaking aspen. Sphinx drupiferarum WO, the Wild Cherry Sphinx Larvae hide in the day and feed primarily on cherry, plum, and apple at night. Larvae have been found on Amelanchier nantuckensis in Massachusetts and have been reared to pupation in Michigan on Prunus serotina. Note purple oblique lines. Sphinx luscitiosa WO, the Canadian Sphinx or Clemen's Sphinx This one is reported from Richmond and from northeastern New Jersey into southern Canada. Sphinx vashti USGS, the Snowberry Sphinx Larvae feed on the common snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) and on coralberry (S. orbiculatus). Note the two golden lines of slightly raised bumps, one just behind the head, the other on the thorax. Smerinthini Tribe: Pachysphinx modesta WO, the Modest Sphinx or Poplar Sphinx This moth is officially recorded in Delaware County. It is fond of poplars and willows. Pachysphinx occidentalis USGS, the Big Poplar Sphinx Larvae feed on cottonwood and poplar (Populus) and willow (Salix). Larvae are very chunky with little to distinguish them from Pachysphinx modesta. Paonias excaecata WO, the Blinded Sphinx Larvae accept willows, birches, and cherries. I have also found them in the wild on oak in eastern Canada. Paonias myops WO, the Small-eyed Sphinx Wild cherry species are the favorites as larval foodplants, but eggs will also be deposited on birches and other forest trees. There are varying degrees in the amount of red markings along the sides. Smerinthus cerisyi USGS, Cerisy's Sphinx; Cerisyi larvae greatly resemble modesta larvae, both being pale green, with granular skin, pale lateral diagonal lines, faint red spiracular circles, and very pale longitudinal lines running from the head to a more pronounced anal diagonal line. Larvae have green heads bounded dorsally with a pale yellow inverted "V". questionable Smerinthus jamaicensis USGS, the Twin-spotted Sphinx Larvae feed upon many forest trees including birches and cherries, but are expecially fond of poplars and willows. Red markings on sides vary greatly from specimen to specimen. Macroglossinae subfamily Dilophonotini Tribe Hemaris diffinis USGS, the Snowberry Clearwing or Bumblebee Moth Larval host plants include Snowberry (Symphoricarpos), honeysuckle (Lonicera), Coralberry, viburnums, Blue Dogbane (Apocynum) and dwarf bush honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera). Horn is black with a yellow base. Philampelini Tribe: Eumorpha achemon USGS/TM/LP, the Achemon Sphinx Larvae feed upon Grape (Vitis), Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) and other vines and ivies (Ampelopsis). Larvae occur in both a light (green) form and a darker (tan/brown) form. Note six "segmented" oblique lines. Eumorpha achemon, Evan, August 9, 2010, Tisa Morehead and Lisa Petersen Macroglossini Tribe Amphion floridensis WO, the Nessus Sphinix In additon to Virginia creeper larvae accept Grape (Vitis), ampelopsis (Ampelopsis), and cayenne pepper (Capsicum). Larvae are green until the final instar. Darapsa myron WO, the 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. Larvae feed on Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), Grape (Vitis), Ampelopsis, and Viburnum. Euproserpinus wiesti USGS, 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. Larvae feed on prairie primrose (Oenothera latifolia) in the evening primrose family (Onagraceae). Trying to rear in captivity has proven difficult. Larvae seem to need sunshine, heat and humidity. Hyles euphorbiae TJ, Leafy Spurge Hawk Moth Larvae feed on leafy spurge. Larvae are also conspicuously colored, with a pronounced tail or "horn" near rear end. Young larvae are variously patterned with green, yellow, and black; older larvae have distinctive red, black, yellow, and white color pattern. Mature larvae may approach 10 cm in length; when disturbed, they regurgitate a slimy green liquid. Hyles euphorbiae fifth instar, Poudre River Trail, Greeley, Weld County, Colorado, September 9, 2009, courtesy of Tyson Fisher via Tiffany Joy. Hyles gallii USGS, the Bedstraw Hawk Moth or Gallium Sphinx Larvae come in black and in brown forms and often feed on Epilobium (fireweed). Hyles lineata USGS, the White-lined Sphinx Larvae are highly varied and feed on a great diversity of plants including willow weed (Epilobium), four o'clock (Mirabilis), apple (Malus), evening primrose (Oenothera), elm (Ulmus), grape (Vitis), tomato (Lycopersicon), purslane (Portulaca), and Fuschia. All larvae seem, however, to have the red/black swellings split by dorso-lateral lines. Proserpinus flavofasciata WO, Yellow-banded Day Sphinx, Larvae feed on willow weed (Epilobium) and possibly thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus). slight possibility Proserpinus juanita USGS, the Juanita Sphinx Larvae feed on (Onagraceae) including evening primrose (Oenothera), gaura (Gaura), and willow weed (Epilobium). Early instars are green and lack the dark sharply contrasting spiracular circles and other patterning.

Hyles euphorbiae fifth instar, Poudre River Trail, Greeley, Weld County, Colorado,
September 9, 2009, courtesy of Tyson Fisher via Tiffany Joy.

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