Sphinginae subfamily
Sphingini tribe:
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Ceratomia amyntor WO, Elm Sphinx, Four-horned Sphinx:
Elm (Ulmus), birch (Betula), basswood (Tilia), cherry (Prunus).
Both green and brown forms. Four horns near head: diagnostic.
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Ceratomia catalpae WO, Catalpa Sphinx:
Young feed gregariously on (Catalpa bignoniodes, C. speciosa)
Bignoniaceae family, skeletonizing foliage.Larvae are mostly white in early instars.
generally more eastern species
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 | Ceratomia hageni
WO, Hagen's Sphinx, Osage Orange Sphinx:
Osage orange (Maclura pomifera).
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Ceratomia undulosa WO, Waved Sphinx:
Fraxinus, Ligustrum, Quercus, Crataegus and Chionanthus virginicus.
Fifth instarspiracular ovals decidedly red, anal horn off-white to pinkish laterally.
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Dolba hyloeus WO, Pawpaw Sphinx:
Pawpaw (Asimina triloba), littleleaf sweetfern (Myrica aspleniifolia), possum haw (Ilex decidua),
inkberry (Ilex glabra),Tall Gallberry Holly (Ilex coriacea). questionable
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Lintneria eremitus USGS, Hermit Sphinx:
Note triangular bump on the thorax. Larval hosts are various species of beebalm (Monarda), mints (Mentha), bugleweed (Lycopis),
and sage (Salvia).
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Manduca quinquemaculatus WO, Five-spotted Hawkmoth:
Tomato Hornworms: black horn. Potato, tobacco, tomato, other plants in nightshade family (Solanaceae).
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Manduca sexta WO, Carolina Sphinx:
Tobacco Hornworms, red-tipped horn, true gluttons, feed on tobacco, tomato,
occasionally potato, pepper crops, other plants in nightshade family (Solanaceae).
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Paratrea plebeja WO, Plebeian Sphinx:
Common trumpetcreeper (Campsis radicans), Florida yellow-trumpet (Tecoma stans), lilac
(Syringa species), passionflower (Passiflora species). Horn blue, preceded by yellow dash.
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| Sphinx canadensis WO, Canadian Sphinx:
This species is not common at lights, and is not often reported anywhere.
Larval host may be exclusively black ash (Fraxinus nigra).
Variable appearance but always with granulous (darker protrusions) on pinkish horn.
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Sphinx chersis WO, Northern Ash Sphinx, Great Ash Sphinx:
Pale bluish green. Head has pair of yellow
lateral bands meeting at apex. Oblique, lateral stripes
pale, bordered anteriorly with darker green.
Ash, lilac, privet, cherry, quaking aspen.
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Sphinx drupiferarum WO, Wild Cherry Sphinx:
Larvae hide by day, feed primarily on cherry, plum, apple
at night. Amelanchier nantuckensis
in Massachusetts; in Michigan on Prunus serotina. Note purple oblique lines.
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Sphinx gordius WO, Apple Sphinx:
Apple (Malus), sweetfern (Myrica),
Carolina rose (Rosa carolina), blueberry, huckleberry
(Vaccinium), white spruce (Picea glauca), American
larch (Larix laricina), alder (Alnus).
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Sphinx kalmiae WO, Laurel Sphinx:
Final instar: black on head, lateral lines, horn , abdominal
legs is diagnostic. Lilac and fringe.
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Sphinx luscitiosa WO, Canadian Sphinx, Clemen's Sphinx:
Willow (Salix), poplar (Populus), birch (Betula), apple (Malus), ash (Fraxinus), waxmyrtle (Morella), northern bayberry.
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Sphinx poecila WO, Poecila Sphinx:
If you have blueberries in the woods, then you probably have the
Poecila Sphinx. They are probably widespread throughout Ilinois,
but are very much under reported. |
Smerinthini Tribe:
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Amorpha juglandis USGS, Walnut Sphinx:
Walnut and butternut (Juglans), hickory (Carya), alder (Alnus), beech (Fagus),
hazelnut (Corylus), hop-hornbeam (Ostrya).
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Pachysphinx modesta RDUSGS,
Modest Sphinx, Poplar Sphinx:
Poplars and cottonwood. Anal horn is greatly reduced in final instar.
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Pachysphinx modesta prepupal larva, Cantigny, Wheatley, August 8, 2010, Rita Dakin and grandson Ryan Linden.
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Paonias excaecata WO, Blinded Sphinx:
Willows, birches, cherries. I have also found them in the wild on oak in eastern Canada.
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Paonias myops WO, Small-eyed Sphinx:
Wild cherry species, birches and other forest trees.
There are varying degrees in the amount of red markings along the sides.
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Smerinthus cerisyi WO, Cerisy's Sphinx;
Pale green, granular skin, pale lateral diagonal lines, faint red
spiracular circles, very pale longitudinal lines running frome
head to more pronounced anal diagonal line.
Green heads bounded dorsally with pale yellow inverted V.
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Smerinthus jamaicensis USGS, Twin-spotted Sphinx:
Birches, cherries, expecially fond of poplars, willows. Red markings on sides vary greatly from specimen to specimen.
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Macroglossinae subfamily
Dilophonotini Tribe:
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Hemaris diffinis
WO, the
Snowberry Clearwing or Bumblebee Moth
Larval host plants include Snowberry (Symphoricarpos),
honeysuckle (Lonicera), Coralberry, viburnums, Blue Dogbane
(Apocynum) and dwarf bush honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera).
Horn is black with a yellow base.
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Hemaris thysbe
WO, the Hummingbird Clearwing
There is also an orangey-pink prepupal form. The lateral line runs
from S1 to the blue horn.
Hemaris thysbe larvae feed on viburnum and related plants.
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Philampelini Tribe:
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Larvae feed upon 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.
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If you have Grape or Virginia Creeper nearby, then you might encounter
this species. Note the five large white ovals. There are orangey-brown and green
forms also.
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Macroglossini Tribe:
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In additon to Virginia creeper larvae accept Grape (Vitis),
ampelopsis (Ampelopsis), and cayenne pepper (Capsicum).
Larvae are green until the final instar.
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Larvae feed on Azalea and Viburnum and progress very rapidly. The
larva to the left on Viburnum cassinoides is getting ready to
pupate. Color change from green to light burgundy-brown indicates
pupation is imminent. |
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Darapsa myron WO, the Virginia Creeper Sphinx or the Grapevine Sphinx
If you have the
foodplants indicated in the common names, you probably have this
species nearby. The lower wings are orange.
Larvae feed on Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia),
Grape (Vitis), Ampelopsis, and Viburnum. |
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Larvae feed on Smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens),
buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), and waterwillow
(Decodon verticillatus).
Note small head which can be retracted into the thorax. rare
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Grape (Vitis), ampelopsis (Ampelopsis), and
Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus) all serve as larval hosts.
The alternating yellow and greyish-green rings across the back
distinguish this larva.
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Hyles gallii
WO, the Bedstraw Hawk Moth
or Gallium Sphinx
This species is not reported in Chippewa, but it has been recorded in
eastern Wisconsin counties. I suspect it is present.
Larvae come in black and in brown forms and often feed on
Epilobium (fireweed). questionable
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Hyles lineata
USGS, the White-lined Sphinx
Larvae are highly varied and feed on a great diversity of plants
including willow weed (Epilobium), four o'clock (Mirabilis),
apple (Malus), evening primrose (Oenothera), elm
(Ulmus), grape (Vitis), tomato (Lycopersicon),
purslane (Portulaca), and Fuschia.
All larvae seem, however, to have the red/black swellings split by
dorso-lateral lines.
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Larvae feed at night on grape (Vitis) and ampelopsis
(Ampelopsis) and hide on the bark of their host plants during
the day. Virginia creeper would also be a suitable host. There is also a dark form
without the green patches. Note the "raised eye", replacing the anal
horn.
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