Maricopa County, Arizona
Sphingidae Larvae

For care of "found larvae/caterpillars" visit Manduca sexta larva, central Texas, August 21, 2008, Trina Woodall.

This page is inspired by and dedicated to the Rogers family: Dace, Melissa, Benjamin, Breanna and Joshua. Melissa sent me the beautiful images of the Hyles lineata larva at the top of the page and of the Eumorpha achemon larva at the bottom of the page.

Melissa writes, "We were pulling some weeds in our back yard here in Mesa, Arizona, and came accross these two caterpillars. Could you identify them for us. They were muching on some weeds that had gotton out out of control."

I replied, "Melissa,

"The Sphinx larva with the anal horn is Hyles lineata, the White-lined Sphinx. It is a highly variable caterpillar of a species very common in Maricopa County. The hornless larva is that of Eumorpha achemon, the Achemon Sphinx."

The family was successful in getting the Hyles lineata larva to pupate. The adult moth depicted below emerged on November 15, 2008.

Hyles lineata, adult, Mesa, Maricopa Co., Arizona,
November 15, 2008, courtesy of Melissa Rogers and the Rogers family.

Hyles lineata, adult, Mesa, Maricopa Co., Arizona,
November 15, 2008, courtesy of Melissa Rogers and the Rogers family.
"What are you looking at!"

Thanks also to T.J. Robb who confirms Manduca rustica from Chandler. Images are posted via the link in the Manduca rustica sighting report.

Many thanks to Christopher Seay, Computer Associate / Technology Liaison, who sends the following image of a mature Sphinx chersis larva found by students of Vista Del Sur Traditional School in Laveen, Maricopa County, Arizona.

Sphinx chersis mature larva, Laveen, Maricopa County, Arizona, May 8, 2012,
courtesy of Christopher Seay and students of Vista Del Sur Traditional School.

For care of "found larvae/caterpillars" visit Manduca sexta larva, central Texas, August 21, 2008, Trina Woodall.

Fifty-nine Sphingidae species are listed for Arizona on the BAMONA website. Not all of the species are reported or anticipated in Maricopa County (seventeen are reported on BAMONA as of October 19, 2011). It is hoped that this checklist, with the thumbnails and notes, will help you quickly identify the caterpillars 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 species is confirmed on BAMONA 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, an excellent online resource.

Two of the species listed by BAMONA probably only occur as adult strays so you would not likely encounter their larvae, and they are not included below: Pachylia ficus (Fig sphinx); Xylophanes falco (Falcon sphinx).

Sphinginae subfamily Sphingini tribe: Agrius cingulata, BAMONA Pink-spotted Hawkmoth: Convolvulaceae family, especially Ipomoea batatas (sweet potato); Solanaceae family, especially (Datura) (jimsonweed) and related plants in the Americas. Also a brown form. Look for very large, dark spiracular circles. likely as an adult stray; unlikely as larva Lintneria separatus WO?, Separated Sphinx. Salvia greggii has been confirmed as a larval host by Robert A. Behrstock. Jim Tuttle, tentative id, writes, "All of the penultimate instars of both Lintneria (Sphinx) istar and Lintneria (Sphinx) separatus that I have reared have been mundane green." Manduca quinquemaculatus BAMONA, Five-spotted Hawkmoth. Tomato Hornworms: each has black horn at end of abdomen. Potato, tobacco, tomato, other plants in nightshade family (Solanaceae). Most larvae are green, but there is also a very beautiful brown form. Manduca rustica BAMONA/TJR, Rustic Sphinx. Numerous white nodules on top of thorax, seven pairs of oblique, blue-gray stripes along body side. Horn: white at base; blue-gray at tip. Many hosts. Manduca rustica fifth instar, Chandler, October 8, 2009, courtesy of T. J. Robb. Manduca sexta BAMONA/CK, Carolina Sphinx. Tobacco Hornworms, equipped with red-tipped horn at end of abdomen, are true gluttons. Tobacco, tomato, and occasionally potato, pepper crops, other plants in nightshade family (Solanaceae). Manduca sexta fifth innstars, Phoenix, October 19, 2011, Cynthia Kraft Sagenosoma elsa WO?, the Elsa Sphinx. Larval hosts are unknown, but larvae probably feed on Lycium in the nightshade family (Solanaceae). Note the strong oblique black lines and the black anal horn. Sphinx asellus BAMONA, the Asella sphinx. Larval hosts are Manzanita and Arctostaphylos of the Ericaceae family. Look for a blue horn and strong purple colouration. Sphinx chersis BAMONA, the Great Ash Sphinx. The larvae are pale bluish green. The head has a pair of yellow lateral bands meeting at the apex. Ash, lilac, privet, cherry, and quaking aspen. Sphinx chersis mature larva, Laveen, May 8, 2012, Christopher Seay and students of Vista Del Sur Traditional School. Smerinthini Tribe: Pachysphinx occidentalis BAMONA, the Big Poplar Sphinx. Larvae feed on cottonwood and poplar (Populus) and willow (Salix). Larvae are very chunky with little to distinguish them from Pachysphinx modesta. Paonias myops WO?, the Small-eyed Sphinx. Wild cherry species are the favorites as larval foodplants, but eggs will also be deposited on birches and other forest trees. To the left a second/third instar larva rests on pin cherry. The "red heart" marking readily identifies this species. generally more eastern species; possibly Smerinthus cerisyi BAMONA, Cerisy's Sphinx; Greatly resemble modesta larvae, pale green, granular skin, pale lateral diagonal lines, faint red spiracular circles, very pale longitudinal lines running from head to more pronounced anal diagonal line. Larvae: green heads bounded dorsally with pale yellow inverted "V". Smerinthus saliceti BAMONA, Salicet Sphinx, flies in valleys and along streamsides from Mexico City north to west Texas, southern Arizona, and extreme southern California. There are two colour morphs, one a pale green and one lime green. Willow (Salix); poplar (Populus). Macroglossinae subfamily Dilophonotini tribe: Erinnyis crameri, Cramer's Sphinx, BAMONA. Dogbane family (Apocynaceae): Rauvolfia ligustrina, Rauvolfia tetraphylla, Stemmadenia obovata. There is also a brown form. likely as an adult stray; unlikely in larval stage. Erinnyis ello BAMONA, Ello Sphinx. Papaya (Carica papaya), Cnidoscolus angustidens, poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), guava (Psidium species), saffron plum (Bumelia angustifolia/Bumelia celastrina). Manilkara bahamensis, Willow Bustic (Bumelia salicifolia), Painted Leaf (Poinsettia heterophylla). Nice socks! Larvae show considerable variation. Erinnyis obscura, the Obscure Sphinx, BAMONA. Rauvolfia ligustrina, Rauvolfia tetraphylla, Stemmadenia obovata, Philibertia, Cynanchum, papaya (Carica papaya), Asclepiadaceae, Blepharodon mucronatum, White vine (Sarcostemma clausum) and Morrenia odorata. Hemaris thetis BAMONA. Snowberry (Symphoricarpos), honeysuckle (Lonicera), Coralberry, viburnums, high bush cranberry and hawthorn (Crataegus). Horn is black with a slightly lighter base. This western species was formerly classified as H. diffinis or H. senta. Those species west of the Continental Divide are now classified as H. thetis. Philampelini tribe: Eumorpha achemon BAMONA/MR, Achemon Sphinx. Grape (Vitis), Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) and other vines and ivies (Ampelopsis). Larvae occur in both a light (green) form and a darker (tan/brown) form. Note six "segmented" oblique lines. Eumorpha achemon, Melissa Rogers (Rogers family), Mesa, September 18, 2008 Macroglossini tribe: Hyles lineata BAMONA/MR, White-lined Sphinx. Highly varied; feed on great diversity of plants: willow weed (Epilobium), four o'clock (Mirabilis), apple (Malus), evening primrose (Oenothera), elm (Ulmus), grape (Vitis), tomato (Lycopersicon), purslane (Portulaca), Fuschia. All larvae seem, however, to have the red/black swellings split by dorso-lateral lines. Hyles lineata, Melissa Rogers (Rogers family), Mesa, September 18, 2008

Eumorpha achemon, fifth instar, Mesa, Maricopa Co., Arizona,
September 18, 2008, courtesy of Melissa Rogers and the Rogers family.

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