Updated as per James P. Tuttle's The Hawk Moths of North America, September 19, 2011
Updated as per BAMONA, September 19, 2011

La Paz County, Arizona

Sphingidae

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke at oehlkew@islandtelecom.com
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information/sightings are welcomed by Bill.
Fifty-nine Sphingidae species are listed for Arizona on the BAMONA website as of September 19, 2011. Not all of the species are reported or anticipated in La Paz County (Two are reported on BAMONA as of September 19, 2011). It is hoped that this checklist, with the thumbnails and notes, will help you quickly identify the moths you are likely to encounter.
A "WO" after the species name indicates that I (William Oehlke) expect that this moth is present or might be present, although unreported. A "BAMONA" indicates the moth is confirmed on USGS site.
Please help me develop this list with improved, documented accuracy by sending sightings (species, date, location), preferably with an electronic image, via email to Bill Oehlke.
Please also forward your sightings to BAMONA.

Sphinginae subfamily

Sphingini tribe:

Agrius cingulata, WO, Pink-spotted Hawkmoth
This moth is a very strong flier, and make its way to southern Arizona and southern California.

Manduca quinquemaculatus BAMONA, the Five-spotted Hawkmoth
I suspect if you grow tomatoes, you are likely to encounter it.

Manduca rustica WO, the 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.

Manduca sexta WO, the 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. If you grow tomatoes, you have probably encountered it, though. Larvae get very large and can strip a tomato plant.

Sagenosoma elsa WO, the Elsa sphinx
The upperside of the forewing has a wide white band along the costa from base to apex. The remainder of the wing has black and white bands.

Sphinx chersis WO, the Northern Ash Sphinx or Great Ash Sphinx
This species is reported in Pima. Larval hosts are ash, lilac, privet, cherry, and quaking aspen.

Smerinthini Tribe:

Pachysphinx occidentalis WO, the Big Poplar Sphinx
This one is quite similar to Pachysphinx modesta, with modesta being smaller and darker.
Moths should be on the wing from June-August.

Paonias myops BAMONA, the Small-eyed Sphinx
Named for the small eye-spot in the hindwing, this moth has a wide distribution.

Smerinthus cerisyi WO, the Cerisyi's Sphinx or One-eyed Sphinx,
Larvae feed on poplars and willows.
Flight would be from late May-July as a single brood.

Smerinthus saliceti WO, the Salicet Sphinx, flies in valleys and along streamsides from Mexico City north to west Texas, southern Arizona, and extreme southern California. Larvae feed on poplars and willows.
Flight would be from late April-September, probably as a double brood.

Macroglossinae subfamily

Dilophonotini tribe:

Erinnyis ello WO, the Ello Sphinx
This species is reported in Pima County and in other southern Arizona counties.
Males and females differ. rare

Erinnyis obscura, the Obscure Sphinx, WO
During the night adults nectar at flowers, including bouncing bet (Saponaria officinalis) and Asystasia gangetica beginning at dusk.
July and August are flight times in the southern states.

Hemaris thetis WO, the Thetis Clearwing or Bee Hawk 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.

Philampelini tribe:

Eumorpha achemon WO, the Achemon Sphinx
This moth is officially reported for Pima County.
Eumorpha achemon larvae feed upon Grape (Vitis), Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) and other vines and ivies (Ampelopsis).

Macroglossini tribe:

Euproserpinus phaeton mojave, the Phaeton Primrose Sphinx, WO
Adults nectar at flowers during the warm parts of the day. Euproserpinus phaeton adults fly swiftly and close to the ground over dry washes and flat areas in deserts as a single brood from February-April.

Hyles lineata WO, the White-lined Sphinx
Adam Fleishman reports many August 11-21 in Tucson, Arizona.
David Bygott sent a larva image in April. Larvae can be quite varied.

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La Paz County, Arizona

Sphingidae

Sphinginae subfamily

Sphingini tribe:

Agrius cingulata, WO, Pink-spotted Hawkmoth This moth is a very strong flier, and make its way to southern Arizona and southern California.

Manduca quinquemaculatus BAMONA, the Five-spotted Hawkmoth I suspect if you grow tomatoes, you are likely to encounter it.

Manduca rustica WO, the 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.

Sagenosoma elsa WO, the Elsa sphinx The upperside of the forewing has a wide white band along the costa from base to apex. The remainder of the wing has black and white bands.

Sphinx chersis WO, the Northern Ash Sphinx or Great Ash Sphinx This species is reported in Pima. Larval hosts are ash, lilac, privet, cherry, and quaking aspen.

Smerinthini Tribe:

Pachysphinx occidentalis WO, the Big Poplar Sphinx This one is quite similar to Pachysphinx modesta, with modesta being smaller and darker. Moths should be on the wing from June-August.

Paonias myops BAMONA, the Small-eyed Sphinx Named for the small eye-spot in the hindwing, this moth has a wide distribution.

Smerinthus cerisyi WO, the Cerisyi's Sphinx or One-eyed Sphinx, Larvae feed on poplars and willows. Flight would be from late May-July as a single brood.

Smerinthus saliceti WO, the Salicet Sphinx, flies in valleys and along streamsides from Mexico City north to west Texas, southern Arizona, and extreme southern California. Larvae feed on poplars and willows. Flight would be from late April-September, probably as a double brood.

Macroglossinae subfamily

Dilophonotini tribe:

Erinnyis ello WO, the Ello Sphinx This species is reported in Pima County and in other southern Arizona counties. Males and females differ. rare

Erinnyis obscura, the Obscure Sphinx, WO During the night adults nectar at flowers, including bouncing bet (Saponaria officinalis) and Asystasia gangetica beginning at dusk. July and August are flight times in the southern states.

Hemaris thetis WO, the Thetis Clearwing or Bee Hawk 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.

Philampelini tribe:

Eumorpha achemon WO, the Achemon Sphinx This moth is officially reported for Pima County. Eumorpha achemon larvae feed upon Grape (Vitis), Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) and other vines and ivies (Ampelopsis).

Macroglossini tribe:

Euproserpinus phaeton mojave, the Phaeton Primrose Sphinx, WO Adults nectar at flowers during the warm parts of the day. Euproserpinus phaeton adults fly swiftly and close to the ground over dry washes and flat areas in deserts as a single brood from February-April.

Hyles lineata WO, the White-lined Sphinx Adam Fleishman reports many August 11-21 in Tucson, Arizona. David Bygott sent a larva image in April. Larvae can be quite varied.

Agrius cingulata, WO, Pink-spotted Hawkmoth
This moth is a very strong flier, and make its way to southern Arizona and southern California.

Manduca quinquemaculatus BAMONA, the Five-spotted Hawkmoth
I suspect if you grow tomatoes, you are likely to encounter it.

Manduca rustica WO, the 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.

Sagenosoma elsa WO, the Elsa sphinx
The upperside of the forewing has a wide white band along the costa from base to apex. The remainder of the wing has black and white bands.

Sphinx chersis WO, the Northern Ash Sphinx or Great Ash Sphinx
This species is reported in Pima. Larval hosts are ash, lilac, privet, cherry, and quaking aspen.

Pachysphinx occidentalis WO, the Big Poplar Sphinx
This one is quite similar to Pachysphinx modesta, with modesta being smaller and darker.
Moths should be on the wing from June-August.

Paonias myops BAMONA, the Small-eyed Sphinx
Named for the small eye-spot in the hindwing, this moth has a wide distribution.

Smerinthus cerisyi WO, the Cerisyi's Sphinx or One-eyed Sphinx,
Larvae feed on poplars and willows.
Flight would be from late May-July as a single brood.

Smerinthus saliceti WO, the Salicet Sphinx, flies in valleys and along streamsides from Mexico City north to west Texas, southern Arizona, and extreme southern California. Larvae feed on poplars and willows.
Flight would be from late April-September, probably as a double brood.

Erinnyis ello WO, the Ello Sphinx
This species is reported in Pima County and in other southern Arizona counties.
Males and females differ. rare

Erinnyis obscura, the Obscure Sphinx, WO
During the night adults nectar at flowers, including bouncing bet (Saponaria officinalis) and Asystasia gangetica beginning at dusk.
July and August are flight times in the southern states.

Hemaris thetis WO, the Thetis Clearwing or Bee Hawk 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.

Eumorpha achemon WO, the Achemon Sphinx
This moth is officially reported for Pima County.
Eumorpha achemon larvae feed upon Grape (Vitis), Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) and other vines and ivies (Ampelopsis).

Euproserpinus phaeton mojave, the Phaeton Primrose Sphinx, WO
Adults nectar at flowers during the warm parts of the day. Euproserpinus phaeton adults fly swiftly and close to the ground over dry washes and flat areas in deserts as a single brood from February-April.

Hyles lineata WO, the White-lined Sphinx
Adam Fleishman reports many August 11-21 in Tucson, Arizona.
David Bygott sent a larva image in April. Larvae can be quite varied.