Updated as per James P. Tuttle's The Hawk Moths of North America, August 19, 2008
Updated for all counties with links to larvae, countries and Catocala; August 2, 2014

The Sphingidae of Massachusetts


Amphion floridensis courtesy of Bill Oehlke.

Click on one of the Scientific names to see images and access information. N.B., the files are not linked back to this page. To return to this index, simply use your browser back button.

Please help me improve this site by sending sighting data (species; location [county]; date) to Bill Oehlke. Images are also greatly appreciated and will be used and credited (with permission) on county pages. I will attempt to identify any Sphingidae larvae or adults that are unknown to you.

Most of the Sphingidae recorded in Massachusetts are recorded throughout (T) the state and have breeding populations within the state. A few species have been recorded as strays from further south. Adult strays, wind assisted or on their own, have ventured into the state and have been documented, but they would not have breeding populations (larvae) within the state.

C. catalpae has not been recorded in northwestern Massachusetts, and Paratrea plebeja has not been recorded in northeastern Massachusetts.

Sphinginae subfamily

Sphingini tribe:

Agrius cingulata stray
Ceratomia amyntor T
Ceratomia catalpae ab NW
Ceratomia undulosa T
Dolba hyloeus T
Lapara bombycoides T
Lapara coniferarum T
Lintneria eremitus T
Manduca jasminearum SE
Manduca quinquemaculatus T mmmmmmmmmmmm
Manduca sexta T
Paratrea plebeja ab XNE
Sphinx chersis T
Sphinx canadensis T
Sphinx drupiferarum T
Sphinx gordius T
Sphinx kalmiae T
Sphinx luscitiosa T
Sphinx poecila T

Smerinthini tribe:

Amorpha juglandis T
Pachysphinx modesta T
Paonias astylus T
Paonias excaecata T
Paonias myops T
Smerinthus cerisyi T
Smerinthus jamaicensis T













Macroglossinae subfamily

Dilophonotini tribe:mm

Erinnyis alope stray
Erinnyis ello stray
Hemaris thysbe T
Hemaris gracilis T
Hemaris diffinis T





Philampelini tribe:mm

Eumorpha achemon T
Eumorpha pandorus T








Macroglossini tribe:

Amphion floridensis T
Cautethia grotei stray
Darapsa choerilus T
Darapsa myron T
Darapsa versicolor T
Deidamia inscriptum T
Hyles gallii T
Hyles lineata T
Sphecodina abbottii T
Xylophanes tersa stray

Individual county checklists (adult moths): Counties will be completed as sightings arrive. Currently only those in red are active.

Berkshire
Middlesex

Franklin
Essex
Bristol

Hampshire
Suffolk
Barnstable

Hampden
Norfolk
Dukes

Worcester
Plymouth
Nantucket

Return to Index by Nation

Return to U. S. A. Table

Return to Main Sphingidae Index

Amorpha juglandis, Ipswich, Essex County, Massachusetts,
August 2008, courtesy of Sissy ffolliott, via Sharon Stichter.

Eumorpha achemon, third or fourth instar (red-brown form), August 16,2008,
Rockport, Essex County, Massachusetts, courtesy of Kim Smith.

Eumorpha achemon, fifth instar (red-brown form), August 22, 2008,
Rockport, Essex County, Massachusetts, courtesy of Kim Smith.

Eumorpha achemon, Rockport, Essex County, Massachusetts, courtesy of Kim Smith.

Eumorpha pandorus fifth instar, August 5, 2008, Franklin County, Massachusetts,
courtesy of Alex Haro, Research Ecologist, USGS Biological Resources.

Individual county checklists (larvae): Counties will be completed as sightings arrive. Currently only those in red are active.

Berkshire
Middlesex

Franklin
Essex
Bristol

Hampshire
Suffolk
Barnstable

Hampden
Norfolk
Dukes

Worcester
Plymouth
Nantucket

Return to Index by Nation

Return to U. S. A. Table

Return to Main Sphingidae Index

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Please send sightings/images to Bill. I will do my best to respond to requests for identification help.

Enjoy some of nature's wonderments, giant silk moth cocoons. Cocoons of the local Saturniidae are sold and shipped while in a dormant state in the fall and winter. Beautiful giant silk moths emerge in spring and summer. Online help is available.


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Bill Oehlke
Box 476
155 Peardon Road
Montague, Prince Edward Island, C0A1R0
Canada

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