Sioux County, northwestern Nebraska and
Dawes, Box Butte and Sheridan Counties
Sphingidae

There can be considerable fading of green toward beige or grey in older specimens, or perhaps there is normal colour variation.

This page is inspired by and dedicated to Derek Bridgehouse who sent me the images of Proserpinus juanita above and below.

Proserpinus juanita female??, Pants Butte, Sowbelly Canyon, Sioux County, Nebraska,
June 7-8- 1986, courtesy of Derek Bridgehouse, digital repair to thorax by Bill Oehlke.

Thirty-seven Sphingidae species are listed on BAMONA for Nebraska as of September 9, 2018. Not all of the species are reported (Fourteen are reported by BAMONA as of September 9, 2018) or anticipated in Sioux County in extreme northwestern Nebraska.

Ceratomia amyntor; Ceratomia catalpae; Ceratomia undulosa; Sphinx chersis; Sphinx vashti; Pachysphinx modesta; Paonias excaecata; Paonias myops; Smerinthus jamaicensis; Hemaris diffinis Amphion floridensis; Darapsa myron; Hyles lineata; Proserpinus juanita.

The following species have either been confirmed (BAMONA) in nearby counties or are expected throughout northwestern Nebraska:

Dawes (18): Ceratomia amyntor; Ceratomia undulosa; Manduca quinquemaculata; Sphinx chersis; Sphinx drupiferarum; Sphinx vashti; Pachysphinx modesta; Paonias excaecata; Paonias myops; Smerinthus jamaicensis; Hemaris diffinis; Eumorpha achemon; Amphion floridensis;Darapsa myron; Deidamia inscriptum; Hyles gallii; Hyles lineata; Proserpinus juanita.

Box Butte (0 reported)

Sheridan (8): Ceratomia amyntor; Ceratomia undulosa; Manduca quinquemaculata; Sphinx vashti; Smerinthus jamaicensis; Hemaris diffinis; Hyles lineata; Proserpinus juanita.

It is hoped that this checklist, with the thumbnails and notes, will help you quickly identify the caterpillars you have encountered.

A comment after the species name indicates that I have no confirmed reports of this species in your county, but I (William Oehlke) expect that these moths are present or might occur as occasional strays.

Please help me develop this list with improved, documented accuracy by sending sightings (species, date, location), preferably with an image, via email to Bill Oehlke.

Please also forward your results to BAMONA, an excellent online resource.

Visit Nebraska Catocala (Underwing Moths). You can also visit Sphingidae checklists for all Canadian provinces, all US states, Mexico, and all countries ion Central and South America.

Sphinginae subfamily Sphingini tribe: Agrius cingulata, only as an unlikely stray, Pink-spotted hawkmoth, fall migrant: This species is a strong migrant and adults nectar from deep-throated flowers including moonflower (Calonyction aculeatum), morning glory (Convolvulus), honey suckle (Lonicera) and petunia (Petunia species). Ceratomia amyntor Sioux/Dawes/Sheridan, the Elm Sphinx or Four-horned Sphinx The upperside of the forewing is brown with dark brown and white markings including a white costal area near the wing base, dark streaks along the veins, and a white spot in the cell. Larvae feed on Elm (Ulmus), birch (Betula), basswood (Tilia), and cherry (Prunus). Ceratomia catalpae Sioux, the Catalpa Sphinx The upperside of the forewing is yellowish brown with no white markings, but there are indistinct black lines and dashes. The cell spot is gray with a black outline and the upperside of the hindwing is yellowish brown with obscure lines. Catalpa is the larval host. Ceratomia undulosa Sioux/Dawes/Sheridan, the Waved Sphinx The upperside of the forewing is pale brownish gray with wavy black and white lines and a black-outlined white cell spot. Lintneria eremitus generally more easterly; unlikely, the Hermit Sphinx The upperside of the forewing is gray-brown with wavy lines, black dashes, and one or two small white spots near the center of the costa. Manduca quinquemaculatus /Dawes/Sheridan, the Five-spotted Hawkmoth This large bodied moth flies in tobacco fields and vegetable gardens (potatoes, tomatoes) and wherever host plants are found. Manduca sexta generally more southerly; unlikely, the Carolina Sphinx The upperside of the hindwing is banded with black and white and has two black zigzag median lines that are very close together with hardly any white showing between them Larvae get very large and can strip a tomato plant. Paratrea plebeja generally more southeasterly; unlikely, the Plebeian Sphinx The upperside of the forewing is gray with indistinct black and white markings. There is a series of black dashes from the base to the tip, and a small white cell spot. Sphinx chersis Sioux/Dawes, 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. Sphinx drupiferarum /Dawes, the Wild Cherry Sphinx Forewings, long and slender, are held close to the body when the moth is at rest. We have them on P.E.I., but I do not see them nearly as frequently as I see the other Sphingidae. Sphinx luscitiosa unconfirmed, but shoud be present, WO, the Canadian Sphinx or Clemen's Sphinx The upperside of the forewing is yellowish gray in males and pale gray with a faint yellow tint in females. In both sexes, the dark border on the outer margin widens as it approaches the inner margin. Sphinx vashti Sioux/Dawes/Sheridan, the Snowberry Sphinx, Snowberry Sphinx adults fly as a single brood in montane woodlands and along prairie streamcourses from April to August. 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 at the apex. Smerinthini Tribe: Amorpha juglandis generally more southerly; unlikely, the Walnut Sphinx The adults are also highly variable; sometimes wings of an individual may be all one color or may have several colors, ranging from pale to dark brown, and may have a white or pink tinge. See the file for the female; she is different. Pachysphinx modesta Sioux/Dawes, the Modest Sphinx or Poplar Sphinx, This moth has a large, heavy body, and females can be remarkably plump. Paonias excaecata Sioux/Dawes, the Blinded Sphinx, The outer margin of the forewing is quite wavy. There is a dark cell spot and a dark oblique line mid wing from the costa almost to the inner margin. Basic ground colour is pinkish brown. Flight would be June-July. Paonias myops Sioux/Dawes, the Small-eyed Sphinx This small species is probably widespread and common. This species ranges across North America. The hindwings have a small blue eyespot ringed with black on a yellow background. Smerinthus jamaicensis Sioux/Dawes/Sheridan, the Twin-spotted Sphinx This moth is widely distributed and fairly common, and it is recorded in Ingham. Along the East Coast, it flies from P.E.I. to Florida. Macroglossinae subfamily Dilophonotini Tribe: Aellopos titan, generally more southerly; unlikely stray, the Titan Sphinx. The body is dark brown with a wide white stripe across the abdomen. The wings are dark brown. The upperside of the hindwing has pale patches along the costa and inner margin. John has seen them nectaring on his butterfly bush in September of 2005 and 2006. Erinnyis ello , the Ello Sphinx The abdomen has very distinct gray and black bands. The female's forewing upperside is pale gray with a few dark dots near the outer margin. Erinnyis obscura, Obscure Sphinx: At night adults nectar at flowers, including bouncing bet (Saponaria officinalis), Asystasia gangetica beginning at dusk. July-August: flight times in southern states. generally more southerly; unlikely stray See Hemaris comparison to help distinguish the next two species. Hemaris diffinis Sioux//Dawes/Sheridan, the Snowberry Clearwing or Bumblebee 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. Hemaris thysbe generally more easterly; unlikely, the Hummingbird Clearwing They are widely distributed in the east from P.E.I. to Florida. Philampelini Tribe: Eumorpha achemon /Dawes, the Achemon Sphinx I suspect it is present. It is fairly often reported along the east coast from southern New Jersey to central Maine. Note the differences between this moth and the Pandorus Sphinx. Eumorpha pandorus generally more easterly; unlikely, the Pandorus Sphinx If you have Grape or Virginia Creeper nearby, then you probably have this species. I often get asked to identify larvae from areas where they have not previously been reported. Macroglossini Tribe: Amphion floridensis Sioux/Dawes, the Nessus Sphinix This day flier is widely distributed. If you have Virginia Creeper, you probably have the Nessus Sphinx. Two bright, distinct, narrow yellow bands are often visible on the abdomen. Darapsa myron Sioux/Dawes, the Virginia Creeper Sphinx or the Grapevine Sphinx It is widely reported as far north as southern Maine. If you have the foodplants indicated in the common names, you probably have this species nearby. Deidamia inscriptum the Lettered Sphinx Dawes The moth's outer margin of the forewing is deeply scalloped. The upperside is light brown with dark brown markings. There is a small black and white spot near the tip. The upperside of the hindwing is orange-brown with a dark brown outer margin and median line. Hyles gallii Dawes, the Bedstraw Hawk Moth or Gallium Sphinx Some years I see them on P.E.I., some years, I do not. Hyles lineata Sioux/Dawes/Sheridan, the White-lined Sphinx Adults usually fly at dusk, during the night, and at dawn, but they also fly during the day over a wide variety of open habitats including deserts, suburbs, and gardens. Hyles lineata, November 17, 2011, Omaha, Amy Dohmen. Proserpinus juanita, the Juanita Sphinx. Sioux/DB/Dawes/Sheridan The upperside of the forewing is pale gray-green with a deep green-brown median area and a white dash at the wing tip. Proserpinus juanita, Pants Butte, Sowbelly Canyon, June 7-8, 1985-86; Derek Bridgehouse Sphecodina abbottii generally more southeasterly; unlikely, the Abbott's Sphinx This moth is very much under reported on USGS. It is a rapid day flier so is probably not in too many collections. Grape is a popular larval host.

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