Mohave County, northwestern Arizona
Sphingidae

Sphinginae subfamily

Sphingini tribe: Agrius cingulata, WO, Pink-spotted Hawkmoth This moth is a very strong flier, and makes its way to southern Arizona and southern California. possible stray Manduca muscosa USGS, Muscosa sphinx The upperside of the moth is soft greenish gray; the forewing has a small green to white cell spot, and the hindwing has black bands and a black patch at the base. Manduca quinquemaculatus WO, the Five-spotted Hawkmoth The moth abdomen usually has five but sometimes six pairs of yellow bands/spots. The upperside of the forewing is blurry brown and gray. 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. possible stray Manduca sexta WO, the Carolina Sphinx If you grow tomatoes, you have probably encountered it. Larvae get very large and can strip a tomato plant. Sagenosoma elsa USGS, the Elsa sphinx This species is recorded in Mohave County. 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 asellus WO, the Asella sphinx The upperside of the forewing is pale silver-gray with a series of black dashes, a white patch at the tip, and a white stripe along the outer margin. The upperside of the hindwing is black with blurry white bands. Sphinx chersis WO, the Northern Ash Sphinx or Great Ash Sphinx The upperside of the forewing is soft dark gray to blue-gray with a series of black dashes, one of which reaches the wing tip. The upperside of the hindwing is black with blurry pale gray bands. Sphinx dollii USGS, the Doll's sphinx Sphinx dollii (Wing span: 1 3/4 - 2 1/2 inches (4.5 - 6.3 cm)), flies in arid brushlands and desert foothills from Nevada and southern California east through Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico to Oklahoma and Texas. Sphinx libocedrus WO, the Incense Cedar Sphinx The upperside of the forewing is pale blue-gray to dark gray with a black dash reaching the wing tip and a white stripe along the lower outer margin. The upperside of the hindwing is black with two diffuse white bands, the upper one being practically non-existent. Sphinx sequoiae USGS, the Sequoiae Sphinx This species is has been reported in Mohave County. Adults fly as a single brood in the desert and in pinyon-juniper woodland from May to August. Sphinx vashti WO, the Snowberry Sphinx The upperside of the forewing has a narrow black subterminal line bordered by a white inverted V-shaped line on the outside, and a black line running inwards from the apex of the wing. It is most often found in montane woodlands and along streamcourses. Smerinthini Tribe: Pachysphinx occidentalis BW/USGS, 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. Pachysphinx occidentalis, Wikieup, Mohave County, northwestern Arizona, September 24, 2008, courtesy of Bill Wohlenhaus. Paonias myops WO, the Small-eyed Sphinx Named for the small eye-spot in the hindwing, this moth has a wide distribution and is confirmed in Yavapai County. Smerinthus cerisyi USGS, 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. Macroglossinae subfamily Dilophonotini tribe: Aellopos clavipes WO, the Aellopos Sphinx. The body is dark brown with a wide white band across the abdomen. Wings are dark brown. The forewing has a black cell spot and 3 white spots near the pale brown marginal area. possible stray Aellopos titan WO, the Titan Sphinx. The body is dark brown with a wide white stripe across the abdomen. The wings are dark brown. It is very similar to above species, but the upperside of the hindwing has pale patches along the costa and inner margin. possible stray Enyo lugubris, the Mournful Sphinx, WO The body and wings are dark brown. The forewing has a large black patch covering most of the outer half of the wing. There is a pale tan cell spot (dark inner pupil), and a fairly straight median line to the inside of the cell spot. possible stray Erinnyis alope, the Alope Sphinx, WO The upperside of the forewing is dark brown with short yellowish streaks on the forward half and wavy yellowish bands on the rear half. The upperside of the hindwing is bright yellow with a wide dark brown border. possible stray Erinnyis crameri, the Cramer's Sphinx, USGS The upperside of the abdomen is gray, without black bands, and the underside does not have black spots. The upperside of the forewing is dark brown, and may have pale yellow-brown patches along the inner edge. Erinnyis ello WO, the Ello Sphinx: Abdomen has very distinct gray and black bands. Female's forewing upperside is pale gray with a few dark dots near outer margin. Male's forewing upperside is dark gray and brown with black band running from base to tip. Hw upperside is orange with wide black border. 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. Isognathus rimosa, the Rimosus Sphinx, WO The upperside of female forewing is mostly gray brown on the front half and dark brown on the rear half while the upperside of male forewing is yellow gray or gray brown. Both sexes have wavy dark markings. The upperside of the hindwing of both sexes is yellow with an incomplete dark border on the outer margin. possible stray Philampelini tribe: Eumorpha achemon WO, the Achemon Sphinx This moth is officially reported for Yavapai County. Eumorpha achemon larvae feed upon Grape (Vitis), Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) and other vines and ivies (Ampelopsis). Eumorpha s. licaon WO, the Satellite Sphinx The Satellite Sphinx Moth, Eumorpha satellitia satellitia flies in Jamaica and from Mexico to Ecuador and further south into Bolivia. possible stray Eumorpha typhon WO, the Typhon Sphinx The upperside of wings is deep red-brown with pale brown bands. Each hindwing has pink along the costal margin and a triangular white spot on the outer part of the inner margin. possible stray Eumorpha vitis WO, the Vine Sphinx The upperside of the moth is dark pinkish brown. Each forewing has a lighter brown band along the costa, and sharp pinkish white bands and streaks. The hindwing has a pink patch on the inner margin. possible stray Macroglossini tribe: Hyles lineata USGS, the White-lined Sphinx The white lines on the body and forewings are striking. Even in flight, the broad pink area on the hindwings is visible. Larvae can be quite varied. Proserpinus juanita WO, the Juanita Sphinx The upperside of the forewing is pale gray-green with a deep green-brown median area and a white dash at the wing tip.