Inspired by and dedicated to Lacey Morrison (Hyles lineata larva, Shawnee, Johnson County, Kansas, July 17, 2019); July 19, 2019
Updated as per James P. Tuttle's The Hawk Moths of North America, July 19, 2019
Updated as per BAMONA, July 19, 2019

Johnson County, Kansas, and Nearby Counties:
Wyandotte; Miami; Leavenworth; Douglas; Franklin

Sphingidae Larvae

Hyles lineata larva, Shawnee, Johnson County, Kansas,
July 17, 2019, courtesy of Lacey Morrison.

This page is inpsired by and dedicated to Lacey Morrison who provides the Hyles lineata image above.

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

As of July 17, 2019, twenty-seven Sphingidae species are listed for Kansas on the BAMONA website. I have added a few which I think might also be present. Not all of the species are confirmed (five confirmed: Hemaris diffinis; Eumorpha achemon; Eumorpha pandorus; Hyles lineata; Sphecodina abbottii in Johnson County. This checklist, with the thumbnails and notes, will help you quickly identify the caterpillars (larvae) you are likely to encounter.

A "WO" indicates the moth is not reported on the USGS website (now BAMONA) for Johnson County, and/or in Lepidoptera of North America, #1, but I (William Oehlke) suspect it is likely present.

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.

The BAMONA website is an excellent resource. Please also send your sightings to them via the link at the top of the page or to the left.

Although this page is inpsired to cover Johnson County, it also serves as a valid checklist for the following nearby counties, whose BAMONA listings are indicated:

Wyandotte: Ceratomia hageni; Hemaris diffinis
Miami: Aellopos titan; Hemaris diffinis; Amphion floridensis;
Leavenworth: Ceratomia hageni; Manduca sexta; Hemaris diffinis; Eumorpha pandorus
Douglas: Agrius cingulata; Ceratomia catalpae; Ceratomia hageni; Manduca sexta; Manduca quinquemaculatus; Amorpha juglandis; Pachysphinx modesta; Paonias excaecata; Smerinthus jamaicensis; Hemaris diffinis; Eumorpha achemon; Eumorpha pandorus; Darapsa myron; Deidamia inscriptum; Hyles lineata; Xylophanes tersa
Franklin: Manduca albiplaga (very rare stray into USA, would not be present in larval stage); Ceratomia catalpae; Ceratomia hageni; Ceratomia undulosa; Paratrea plebeja; Smerinthus jamaicensis; Erinnyis obscura; Hemaris diffinis; Amphion floridensis; Deidamia inscriptum; Hyles lineata; Sphecodina abbottii.

Sphinginae subfamily

Sphingini tribe:

Agrius cingulata, Douglas, as an adult stray; Pink-spotted hawkmoth,

Larvae feed on plants in the Convolvulaceae family, especially Ipomoea batatas (sweet potato) and in the Solanaceae family, especially (Datura) (jimsonweed) and related plants in the Americas. There is also a brown form. Look for very large, dark spiracular circles.

Ceratomia amyntor WO, the Elm Sphinx or Four-horned Sphinx

Larvae feed on Elm (Ulmus), birch (Betula), basswood (Tilia), and cherry (Prunus). There are both green and brown forms. The four horns near the head are diagnostic.

Ceratomia catalpae Douglas/Franklin, the Catalpa Sphinx

Young caterpillars feed gregariously on Catalpa species (Catalpa bignoniodes and C. speciosa) in the Bignoniaceae family, skeletonizing the foliage.

Larvae are mostly white in early instars.

Ceratomia hageni Douglas/Franklin/Wyandotte/Leavenworth, Hagen's Sphinx or Osage Orange Sphinx

Larvae feed on osage orange (Maclura pomifera), and they have a granulous appearance with variable amounts of purple along the oblique white stripes.

Ceratomia undulosa Franklin, the Waved Sphinx

Fraxinus, Ligustrum, Quercus, Crataegus and Chionanthus virginicus are listed as hosts.

In the fifth instar, the spiracular ovals are decidedly red and the anal horn is off-white to pinkish laterally.

Lintneria eremitoides WO. Larval hosts are Sage (Salvia species). The Lintneria larvae will most often be encountered on Lamiaceae: Salvia (Sage), Mentha (Mints), Monarda (Beebalm) and Hyptis (Bushmints); Verbenaceae: Verbena and Lantana camara (shrub verbenas or lantanas). One is even more likely to discover larvae feeding in the evening or after dark.

Franklin: Manduca albiplaga (very rare stray into USA, would not be present in larval stage)

Manduca quinquemaculatus Douglas, the Five-spotted Hawkmoth

The caterpillars are called Tomato Hornworms and each has a black horn at the end of the abdomen. Larvae feed on potato, tobacco, tomato, and other plants in the nightshade family (Solanaceae).

Manduca sexta Douglas/Leavenworth, the Carolina Sphinx

Tobacco Hornworms, equipped with a red-tipped horn at the end of the abdomen, are true gluttons and feed on tobacco and tomato, and occasionally potato and pepper crops and other plants in the nightshade family (Solanaceae).

Paratrea plebeja Franklin, the Plebeian Sphinx Preferred hosts are common trumpetcreeper (Campsis radicans), Florida yellow-trumpet (Tecoma stans), lilac (Syringa species), and passionflower (Passiflora species). The anal horn is blue, often preceded by a yellow dash. The head is entirely green, without lateral bands of S. chersis.

Sphinx chersis WO, the Northern Ash Sphinx or Great Ash Sphinx. The larvae are pale bluish green. The head has a pair of yellow lateral bands meeting at the apex. The oblique, lateral stripes are pale and bordered anteriorly with a darker green. Larval hosts are ash, lilac, privet, cherry, and quaking aspen.

Sphinx drupiferarum WO, the Wild Cherry Sphinx

Sphinx drupiferarum larvae hide in the day and feed primarily on cherry, plum, and apple at night. Larvae have been found on Amelanchier nantuckensis in Massachusetts and have been reared to pupation in Michigan on Prunus serotina from eggs readily oviposited by a female. possibly

Sphinx vashti WO, the Snowberry Sphinx

Larvae feed on the common snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) and on coralberry (S. orbiculatus).

Note the two golden lines of slightly raised bumps, one just behind the head, the other on the thorax.

Smerinthini Tribe:

Amorpha juglandis Douglas, the Walnut Sphinx

Amorpha juglandis larvae feed upon Walnut and butternut (Juglans), hickory (Carya), alder (Alnus), beech (Fagus), hazelnut (Corylus), and hop-hornbeam (Ostrya).

Pachysphinx modesta Douglas, the Modest Sphinx or Poplar Sphinx

Larvae feed on poplars and cottonwood.

Paonias excaecata Douglas, the Blinded Sphinx

Larvae accept willows, birches, and cherries. I have also found them in the wild on oak in eastern Canada. generally more eastern species

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 or third instar larva rests on pin cherry. The "red heart" marking readily identifies this species. There can be varying degrees of lateral red markings.

Smerinthus jamaicensis Douglas/Franklin, the Twin-spotted Sphinx

Larvae feed upon many forest trees including birches and cherries, but are expecially fond of poplars and willows. Red markings on sides vary greatly from specimen to specimen.

Macroglossinae subfamily


Dilophonotini tribe:

Miami: Aellopos titan would likely only be present as an adult stray. I would not expect you would see larvae of this species.

Erinnyis obscura, the Obscure Sphinx, Franklin; PROBABLY ONLY AS AN ADULT RARE STRAY
Larvae feed on Rauvolfia ligustrina, Rauvolfia tetraphylla, Stemmadenia obovata, Philibertia, Cynanchum, papaya (Carica papaya), Asclepiadaceae, Blepharodon mucronatum, White vine (Sarcostemma clausum) and Morrenia odorata. rare if present, probably only as an adult moth

Hemaris diffinis Johnson County/Douglas/Franklin/Leavenworth/Miami/Wyandotte, 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.

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. generally more eastern species; maybe

Philampelini tribe:

Eumorpha achemon Johnson County/Douglas, the Achemon Sphinx

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.

Eumorpha pandorus Johnson County/Douglas/Leavenworth, the Pandorus Sphinx

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.

Macroglossini tribe:

Amphion floridensis Franklin/Miami, the Nessus Sphinix

In additon to Virginia creeper larvae accept Grape (Vitis), ampelopsis (Ampelopsis), and cayenne pepper (Capsicum).

Larvae are green until the final instar.

Darapsa myron Douglas, 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.

Deidamia inscriptum Douglas/Franklin, the Lettered Sphinx

Females lay translucent green eggs singly on leaves of the host plant. Grape (Vitis), ampelopsis (Ampelopsis), and Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus) all serve as larval hosts.

Hyles lineata Johnson County/Douglas/Franklin, 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.


Hyles lineata, Shawnee, July 17, 2019, Lacey Morrison.

Proserpinus juanita WO, the Juanita Sphinx

Larvae feed on (Onagraceae) including evening primrose (Oenothera), gaura (Gaura), and willow weed (Epilobium). rare

Sphecodina abbottii Franklin, the Abbott's Sphinx

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. generally more eastern species

Xylophanes tersa Douglas, the Tersa Sphinx
Larvae also feed on Borreria, Catalpa and Manettia spp. and Smooth buttonplant (Spermacoce glabra) and starclusters (Pentas species). They are also recorded on joe-pie weed and Hamelia patens and on Hedoydis nigricans. The green form may be more common. possibly as a rare adult stray; generally more southerly

Enjoy some of nature's wonderments, giant silk moth cocoons. These cocoons are for sale winter and fall. Beautiful Saturniidae moths will emerge the following spring and summer. Read Actias luna rearing article. Additional online help available.

Eggs of many North American species are offered during the spring and summer. Occasionally summer Actias luna and summer Antheraea polyphemus cocoons are available. Shipping to US destinations is done from with in the US.

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