Sphinginae subfamily
Sphingini tribe:
 |
This moth is a very strong flier, but would only make its way to
Greene County as a rare stray. There are not too many records from
New York state, but records exist for NJ and CT.
|
 |
Ceratomia amyntor
WO,
the Elm Sphinx or Four-horned Sphinx
This moth is not officially recorded in Greene County.
Larvae feed on Elm (Ulmus), birch (Betula), basswood (Tilia), and
cherry (Prunus). |
 |
Ceratomia undulosa
WO, the Waved
Sphinx
This moth is not recorded in Greene County. I have seen them as far north as P.E.I. in
eastern Canada, and took them in New Jersey.
It is named for the
wavy lines on the forewings. |
 |
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.
|
 |
The upperside of the forewing is gray with heavy black bands. The
upperside of the hindwing is
brownish gray with no markings.
|
 |
Manduca quinquemaculata
WO,
the Five-spotted Hawkmoth.
The moth abdomen usually has five but sometimes six pairs of yellow
bands. The upperside of the forewing is blurry brown and gray. The
upperside of the hindwing is banded with brown and white and has two
well-separated median zigzag bands.
|
 |
This species is not recorded in Greene County.
If you grow tomatoes, however, you have probably encountered it.
Larvae get very large and can strip a tomato plant.
|
 | The upperside of the 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. North of
normal range!
|
 |
Sphinx chersis
WO, the Northern Ash Sphinx or Great Ash Sphinx
This species might present but may not
be common. Larval hosts are ash, lilac, privet, cherry, and quaking aspen.
|
 |
This species is not officially reported in Greene County. We have them
on P.E.I., but I do not see them nearly as frequently
as I see the other Sphingidae. |
 |
This species is not reported in Greene County. Generally it is not
widely reported. |
 |
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.
|
 |
Sphinx luscitiosa
WO,
the Canadian Sphinx or
Clemen's Sphinx
This one is reported from Suffolk and Richmond and from
northeastern New Jersey and might be present in Greene County.
|
 |
If you have blueberries in the woods, then you might have the
Poecila Sphinx. They are pretty common here on Prince Edward Island,
but don't fly too far south of Massachusetts, being replaced by
Sphinx gordius in Connecticut. Questionable for Greene. |
Smerinthini Tribe:
 |
This is the first Sphinx species I reared as a boy in New Jersey.
See the file for the female; she is different. |
 |
Pachysphinx modesta
WO,
the Modest Sphinx or Poplar Sphinx
This moth is not recorded in Greene County. Larvae feed on
poplars and willows.
They are common on Prince Edward Island. |
 |
Named for the dull grey-blue spot (minus dark pupil) in the hindwing,
this moth has a wide distribution and is probably common in Greene
County.
I regularly see them on Prince Edward Island, and they are reported
as far south as Florida. |
 |
Named for the small eye-spot in the hindwing, this moth has a wide
distribution and is probably common in Greene County.
I regularly see them on Prince Edward Island, and they are reported
as far south as Florida.
|
 |
Greene County would be close to the southern limit for this species in New York.
I never saw one in New Jersey. At my home in Montague, P.E.I., Canada, they are quite common. |
 |
This moth is widely distributed and fairly common.
Along the East Coast, it flies from P.E.I. to Florida. It probably
flies in Greene County. |
Macroglossinae subfamily
Dilophonotini tribe:
See Hemaris comparison to help distinguish
the next three species.
 |
Hemaris thysbe
WO, the Hummingbird Clearwing
This interesting day flier is not reported in Greene, but
is widely reported to the north, east, south and west.
They are widely distributed in the east from P.E.I. to Florida. |
 |
Hemaris diffinis
WO, the
Snowberry Clearwing or Bumblebee Moth
This moth is widespread but has not been recorded in Greene County
although reported in northwestern N.J. and southeastern N.Y. and
Connecticut.
|
 |
Hemaris gracilis WO, the
Slender Clearwing or Graceful Clearwing
This day-flying moth is less common and has not been recorded in
Greene, but has been seen due east, south and west. Questionable.
|
Philampelini tribe:
 |
This moth is not reported for Greene, but it is fairly often reported
along the coast from southern New Jersey
to central Maine.
Note the differences between this moth and the 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. |
Macroglossini tribe:
 |
This day flier is 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.
|
 |
This species is rarely recorded in the U.S., but there are sightings in the east
from Florida, South Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts and
New Hampshire.
There are no reports from Greene. Very Questionable!
|
 |
They are common in New Jersey and common
here on Prince Edward Island.
You will often see this species listed as Darapsa pholus,
especially in older literature.
It is not yet
confirmed for Greene County.
|
 |
Darapsa myron
WO, the Virginia Creeper Sphinx or the Grapevine Sphinx
This moth is not recorded for Greene County
It is widely reported as far north as southern Maine. If you have the
foodplants indicated in the common names, you probably have this
species nearby. |
 |
If you have hydrangea growing near a stream, then you may have the
Hydrangea Sphinx.
It has not been reported in Greene, but likely
is present although uncommon.
|
 |
This species has not been recorded in Greene County,
but it is likely present.
|
 |
Hyles gallii
WO, the Bedstraw Hawk Moth
or Gallium Sphinx
This species is not reported in Greene. I suspect it would be rare.
Some years I see them on P.E.I., some years, I do not.
|
 |
Hyles lineata
WO, the White-lined Sphinx
This species is not reported from Greene County. It flies across
southern New York and has strong migrating tendancies.
There are records from New Hampshire and Maine. |
 |
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
|
|
|