Sphinginae subfamily
Sphingini tribe:
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Ceratomia amyntor USGS, Elm Sphinx; Four-horned Sphinx:
The upperside of the forewing is brown with dark brown and white
markings including a white costal area near the wing base, dark
streaks along the veins, and a white spot in the cell.
Larvae feed on Elm (Ulmus), birch (Betula), basswood (Tilia), and
cherry (Prunus). |
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Ceratomia undulosa DL, Waved Sphinx:
The upperside of the forewing is pale brownish gray with wavy black
and white lines and a black-outlined white cell spot.
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Ceratomia undulosa, Beaver Path, Thorton, June 10-July 25, Deb Lievens
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Dolba hyloeus USGS, 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.
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Lapara bombycoides USGS/DL, Northern Pine Sphinx:
The upperside of the forewing is gray with heavy black bands. The upperside of the hindwing is brownish gray with no markings.
If you have pines, youprobably have this species. It also flies on P.E.I.
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Lapara bombycoides, Beaver Path, Thorton, June 10-July 25, Deb Lievens
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Lintneria eremitus USGS, Hermit Sphinx:
Gray-brown with wavy lines, black dashes, and one or two small white spots near the center of
the costa. The upperside of the hindwing is black with two white bands and a triangular black patch at the base. Note the golden hair on the thorax.
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Manduca quinquemaculatus USGS, Five-spotted Hawkmoth:
This large bodied moth flies in tobacco fields and vegetable gardens (potatoes, tomatoes) and wherever host plants are found.
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 | Sphinx canadensis
WO, Canadian Sphinx, is not common, and is not often reported anywhere, but it might possibly be present in your county.
Larval hosts are white ash (Fraxinus americana) and blueberry (Vaccinium).
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Sphinx chersis USGS, Northern Ash Sphinx; Great Ash Sphinx:
Soft dark gray to blue-gray with a series of black dashes, one of which reaches the wing tip.
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Sphinx drupiferarum USGS, Wild Cherry
Sphinx. Forewings, long and slender, are held close to the body when the moth is at rest. The top third of the forewing in the basal and median
areas is grey while most of the rest of the forewing is dark brown. |
 | Colouration and markings are highly variable from one specimen to another. The fringes on forewing are mostly black with some white; those on
the hindwing are mostly white with a few black patches. |
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Sphinx kalmiae USGS, 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. |
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Sphinx luscitiosa WO, Canadian Sphinx; Clemen's Sphinx:
The upperside of the forewing is yellowish gray in males and pale gray with a faint yellow tint in females. In both sexes, the dark border on the outer margin
widens as it approaches the inner margin. |
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Sphinx poecila USGS, Poecila Sphinx:
If you have blueberries in the woods, then you probably have the Poecila Sphinx. |
Smerinthini Tribe:
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Amorpha juglandis USGS, Walnut Sphinx:
The adults are also 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. Female is different.
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Paonias excaecata
USGS/DL, Blinded Sphinx:
The outer margin of the forewing is quite wavy. There is a dark cell
spot and a dark oblique line mid wing from the costa almost to the
inner margin. Basic ground colour is pinkish brown. Flight would
be June-July. |
Paonias excaecata, Beaver Path, Thorton, July 14, Deb Lievens
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Paonias myops DL, Small-eyed Sphinx:
This species ranges across North America. The hindwings have a small blue eyespot ringed with black on a yellow background.
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Paonias myops, Beaver Path, Thorton, May 26 - July 5, Deb Lievens
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Pachysphinx modesta USGS, Modest Sphinx; Poplar Sphinx:
Hindwings aremostly deep maroon with some dark blue-black scaling. They are a heavy bodied species. |
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Smerinthus cerisyi USGS, Cerisyi's Sphinx; One-eyed Sphinx:
Larvae feed on poplars and willows. Flight would be from late May-July as a single brood. |
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Smerinthus jamaicensis USGS/DL, Twin-spotted Sphinx:
Smerinthus jamaicensis closely resembles Smerinthus cerisyi, but jamaicensis is much smaller with larger blue patches on more
vibrant and deeper purple in the lower wings. |
Smerinthus jamaicensis, Beaver Path, Thorton, June 8, Deb Lievens
Macroglossinae subfamily
Dilophonotini Tribe:
Visit Hemaris comparison to distinguish the following three species.
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Hemaris diffinis USGS, Snowberry Clearwing; Bumblebee Moth:
The moth flies along forest edges and in meadows, gardens and brushy fields. Day-flying adults nectar at lantana, dwarf bush honeysuckle,
snowberry, orange hawkweed, thistles, lilac, Canada violet, etc. |
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Hemaris gracilis WO, Slender Clearwing; Graceful Clearwing:
This day flier is not commonly reported, but it might be present in your county. unlikely
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Hemaris thysbe USGS, Hummingbird Clearwing:
It is not difficult to see why many gardeners would mistake an Hemaris thysbe moth for a small hummingbird as it hovers, sipping nectar
from flowers through a long feeding tube. |
Philampelini Tribe:
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Eumorpha achemon WO, Achemon Sphinx:
Adults nectar from flowers of Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), petunia (Petunia hybrida), mock orange
(Philadelphus coronarius), and phlox (Phlox). Note the differences between this moth and the Pandorus Sphinx.
questionable, usually more southerly
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Eumorpha pandorus WO, 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 where
they have not previously been reported. |
Macroglossini Tribe:
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Amphion floridensis USGS, Nessus Sphinix:
This day flier is widely distributed. If you have Virginia Creeper, you might have the Nessus Sphinx. Two bright, distinct, narrow
yellow bands are often visible on the abdomen. |
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Darapsa choerilus USGS, 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. |
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Darapsa myron USGS, Virginia Creeper Sphinx; Grapevine Sphinx.
The forewing upperside is dark brown to pale yellowish gray, with an olive green tint.
On the costal margin there is a dark rectangular patch, although this may be reduced or absent. The upperside of the hindwing is pale orange. |
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Darapsa versicolor WO, Hydrangea Sphinx:
If you have hydrangea growing near a stream, then you may have the Hydrangea Sphinx. |
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Deidamia inscriptum USGS, Lettered Sphinx:
The moth's outer margin of the forewing is deeply scalloped. The upperside is light brown with dark brown markings.
There is a small black and white spot near the tip. The upperside of the hindwing is orange-brown with a dark brown outer margin and median line.
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Hyles gallii WO, Bedstraw Hawk Moth; Gallium Sphinx:
The thick, cream-coloured, slightly irregular, diagonal line on the forewing as well as the absence
of much thinner "white lines/streaks" distinguish this species from Hyles lineata. |
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Hyles lineata USGS, White-lined Sphinx:
Adults usually fly at dusk, during the night, and at dawn, but they also fly during the day over a wide variety of open habitats
including deserts, suburbs, and gardens. |
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Proserpinus flavofasciata WO, Yellow-banded Day Sphinx:
Fw upperside is medium to dark brown with a faint to distinct white median band. Hw upperside is dark brown with a wide orange median band which may not reach the
inner margin. The moth mimics a bumblebee. |
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Sphecodina abbottii WO, Abbott's Sphinx:
This moth is very much under reported on USGS. It is a rapid day flier so is probably not in too many collections.
Grape is a popular larval host. |
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