Sphinginae subfamily
Sphingini tribe:
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Ceratomia amyntor, Elm Sphinx or Four-horned Sphinx.
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 catalpae, Catalpa Sphinx.
The upperside of the forewing is yellowish brown with no white markings, but there are indistinct black lines and dashes. The cell
spot is gray with a black outline and the upperside of the hindwing is yellowish brown with obscure lines.
Caterpillars feed gregariously on Catalpa species (Catalpa bignoniodes and C. speciosa). |
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Ceratomia undulosa, Waved Sphinx.
The upperside of the forewing is pale brownish gray with wavy black and white lines and a black-outlined white cell spot. The upperside
of the hindwing is gray with diffuse darker bands. |
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Dolba hyloeus, 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, 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. |
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Lapara coniferarum, Southern Pine Sphinx.
The upperside is of the forewing is gray with two (sometimes one or three) black dashes near the wing center; other markings are usually
diffuse. The upperside of the hindwing is a uniform brown-gray. |
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Lintneria eremitus, Hermit Sphinx. The upperside of the forewing is gray-brown with wavy lines, black dashes, and one or two small white spots near the center of the costa.
Larval hosts are various species of beebalm (Monarda), mints (Mentha), bugleweed (Lycopis) and sage (Salvia). |
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Manduca jasminearum, Ash Sphinx.
The upperside of forewing is gray to grayish brown with a black line running from the middle of the costa to the middle of the outer
margin; the line may be broken near the margin. There is a splash of brown around the cell spot.
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Manduca quinquemaculatus, 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.
I suspect if you grow tomatoes, you are likely to encounter it. |
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Manduca rustica, Rustic Sphinx.
The abdomen of the adult moth has three pairs of yellow spots. The upperside of the forewing is yellowish brown to deep chocolate brown
with a dusting of white scales and zigzagged black and white lines. |
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Manduca sexta, Carolina Sphinx.
The abdomen usually has six pairs of yellow bands, broken across the back. The sixth set of markings is quite small.
The upperside of the forewing has indistinct black, brown, and white markings.
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 | 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.
Questionable |
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Sphinx chersis, Northern Ash Sphinx; Great Ash Sphinx.
Soft gray to blue-gray with a series of black dashes, one of which reaches the wing tip.
Larval hosts are ash, lilac, privet, cherry, and quaking aspen. |
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Sphinx drupiferarum, Wild Cherry Sphinx.
Dark, slate grey except for much lighter inner 3/4 of costal area and subterminal area.
Forewings, long and slender, are held close to the body when the moth is at rest. Larvae are beautiful and feed on cherry foliage. |
 | This species is not reported in Sussex. Generally it is not widely reported anywhere.
Similar to S. kalmiae but
lacks the dark bar along the fw inner margin. unlikely |
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Sphinx gordius, Apple Sphinx.
The upperside of the forewing ranges from brown with black borders through brownish gray with paler borders to pale gray with no
borders. Dashes, submarginal line, and cell spot are usually weak. |
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Sphinx kalmiae, the 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?? generally a more northerly species,
the Canadian Sphinx or 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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Smerinthini Tribe:
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Amorpha juglandis, 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. Patterns range from faint to pronounced. |
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Pachysphinx modesta,
the Modest Sphinx or Poplar Sphinx.This moth has a large, heavy body, and females can be remarkably plump.
Larvae are fond of poplars and willows. |
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This appears to be an uncommon species. The forewing outer margin is relatively smooth. |
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Paonias excaecata, the Blinded Sphinx.
Named for the dull grey-blue spot (minus dark pupil) in the hindwing,
I regularly see them on Prince Edward Island, and they are reported
as far south as Florida. |
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Named for the small eye-spot in the hindwing, this moth has a wide distribution and is probably common in Sussex County.
I regularly see them on Prince Edward Island, and they are reported as far south as Florida. |
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This moth is widely distributed and fairly common.
Along the East Coast, it flies from P.E.I. to Florida. |
Macroglossinae subfamily
Dilophonotini tribe:
See Hemaris comparison to help distinguish the next three species.
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Hemaris thysbe, 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. |
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Hemaris diffinis, Snowberry Clearwing or Bumblebee Moth
Adults mimic bumblebees and are quite variable, both geographically and seasonally. The thorax is golden-brown to
dark greenish-brown. The abdomen tends to be dark (black) with 1-2 yellow segments just before the terminal end. |
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Hemaris gracilis, the Slender Clearwing or Graceful Clearwing
Hemaris gracilis is distinguished from similar species by a pair of red-brown bands on the undersides of the thorax, which varies from
green to yellow-green dorsally and sometimes brown with white underneath. They have a red abdomen. unlikely
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Philampelini tribe:
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Eumorpha achemon, Achemon Sphinx.
Adults nectar from flowers of Japanese honeysuckle
(Lonicera japonica), petunia (Petunia hybrida), mock
orange (Philadelphus coronarius), and phlox (Phlox).
If you have Grape or Virginia Creeper nearby, then you probably have
this species. |
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Eumorpha pandorus, the Pandorus Sphinx.
If you have Grape or Virginia Creeper nearby, then you probably have
this species.
I have often seen them in Pottersville, Hunterdon County. |
Macroglossini tribe:
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Amphion floridensis, Nessus Sphinix.
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.
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Darapsa choerilus, Azalea Sphinx.
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.
They are common
in Hunterdon County, further south.
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Darapsa myron, Virginia Creeper Sphinx; Grapevine Sphinx.
The forewing upperside is dark brown to pale yellowish gray, with an
olive 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, the Hydrangea Sphinx.
If you have hydrangea growing near a stream, then you may have the Hydrangea Sphinx.
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Deidamia inscriptum, Lettered Sphinx.
This species has been recorded in Warren, confirmed May 2, 2006 for Sussex by Joe Garris.
Grape (Vitis), ampelopsis (Ampelopsis), and Virginia creeper
(Parthenocissus) all serve as larval hosts. |
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Hyles gallii, Bedstraw Hawk Moth or Gallium Sphinx.
Dark brown forewing with creamy, broad, very irregular longitudinal bar and grey outer margin.
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Hyles lineata, White-lined Sphinx.
The forewing upperside is dark olive brown with paler brown along the costa and outer margin, a narrow tan band running from the wing tip
to the base, and white streaks along the veins. |
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Sphecodina abbottii,
Abbott's Sphinx; 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 host. I have taken it is Pottersville (Hunterdon County). Tony McBride confirms them in Warren County.
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Xylophanes tersa, Tersa Sphinx.
This moth is much more common to the south. It is a strong migrant, however, and is frequently seen as an adult moth, north of its
breeding range.
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