Sphinginae subfamily
Sphingini tribe:
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Agrius cingulata,
Accomack 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 or Four-horned Sphinx:
Forewing: brown with dark brown and white markings including white costal area near wing base, dark streaks along veins,
and white spot in cell.
Larvae: Elm (Ulmus), birch (Betula), basswood (Tilia), and
cherry (Prunus). |
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Ceratomia catalpae
WO,
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. The larvae feed in large groups and are much more
spectacular than the moths.
Catalpa is the larval host. |
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Ceratomia undulosa
WO, Waved Sphinx:
Forewing pale brownish gray with wavy black & white lines & black-outlined white cell spot. Hindwing gray with diffuse darker bands. |
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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 coniferarum
WO, Southern Pine Sphinx:
Forewing: gray with two (sometimes one or three) black dashes near wing center; other markings usually diffuse. Hindwing is a uniform brown-gray.
If you've got pines, this species is likely present. |
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Manduca jasminearum
WO, the 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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I suspect if you grow tomatoes, you are likely to encounter Manduca quinquemaculata.
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Manduca rustica
Accomack; Saundra Byrd/Northumberland, Rustic Sphinx.
Three large yellow spots
on each side of abdomen. Forewing:
yellowish brown to deep chocolate brown with dusting of white
scales and zigzagged black and white lines.
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If you grow tomatoes, you have probably encountered Manduca sexta
in the larval stage.
Larvae get very large and can strip a tomato plant.
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Paratrea plebeja
WO, Plebeian Sphinx
Forewing 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.
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Sphinx chersis WO, Northern Ash Sphinx or Great Ash Sphinx.
Larval hosts are ash, lilac, privet, cherry, and quaking aspen.
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We have them
on P.E.I., but I do not see them nearly as frequently
as I see the other Sphingidae. |
 | 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 franckii
Lancaster, Franck's Sphinx Moth: Forewing costal half: grey, but posterior portion
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
WO, 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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Smerinthini Tribe:
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Amorpha juglandis
WO,
Walnut Sphinx:
Adults: highly variable; sometimes wings
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.
See file for female; she is different. |
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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.
This appears to be an uncommon species.
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Paonias excaecata
WO,
Blinded Sphinx.
Named for the dull grey-blue spot (minus dark pupil) in the hindwing,
this moth has a wide distribution in the eastern United States.
I regularly see them on Prince Edward Island, and they are reported
as far south as Florida. |
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Paonias myops WO, Small-eyed Sphinx.
Named for the small eye-spot in the hindwing, this moth has a wide
distribution and is probably common in York County.
I regularly see them on Prince Edward Island, and they are reported
as far south as Florida.
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Smerinthus jamaicensis
WO,
Twin-spotted Sphinx.
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
WO, 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
Accomack/Northumberland/ Westmoreland.
Snowberry Clearwing; Bumblebee Moth:
Adults mimic bumblebees; quite variable. Wings basically clear, with dark brown to
brownish-orange veins, bases & edges. Thorax golden-brown to
dark greenish-brown. Abdomen usually dark (black) with 1-2
yellow segments before tip.
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Hemaris gracilis WO,
Slender Clearwing or Graceful Clearwing.
This day-flying moth is less common and has not been recorded in
Virginia, but has been seen in southern N.J. and
in eastern South Carolina and Florida. unlikely
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Philampelini tribe:
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Eumorpha achemon
WO,
Achemon Sphinx. Larvae get large and feed on grape vines and Virginia creeper.
Note the differences between this moth and the Pandorus Sphinx. |
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Eumorpha fasciatus
Northampton, Banded Sphinx.
Upperside: dark pinkish brown. Forewing with
lighter brown band along costa, & sharp pinkish white bands &
streaks. Primrose-willow, Ludwigia (water primrose)
& others in evening primrose family.
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Eumorpha pandorus
Accomack; Middlesex/ Northumberland, 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:
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Amphion floridensis
Westmoreland,
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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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 WO, Virginia Creeper Sphinx or Grapevine Sphinx.
If you have the foodplants indicated in the common names, you probably have this
species nearby. The lower wings are orange. |
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If you have hydrangea growing near a stream, then you might have the
Hydrangea Sphinx.
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Deidamia inscriptum
WO,
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.
Grape (Vitis), ampelopsis (Ampelopsis), and Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus) all serve as larval hosts. |
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Hyles lineata WO, the White-lined Sphinx
This species has
strong migrating tendancies from much further south.
There are records from New Hampshire and Maine. |
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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 host.
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Xylophanes tersa Accomack,
Tersa Sphinx.
This moth is much more common to the south. It is a strong migrant,
however, and probably re-establishes itself in York most years. It might also overwinter there.
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