Updated as per James P. Tuttle's The Hawk Moths of North America, September 5, 2010
Updated as per Matawan, Monmouth County, New Jersey, September 5, 2010, Eumorpha fasciatus sighting on Bug Guide; September 5, 2010
Dedicated as per personal communication with Vic Godley and his son, Michael Godley, July 4, 2011
Updated as per personal communication with Amy Hemming (Hemaris thysbe; Marlboro, August 17-18, 2012); August 18, 2012
Updated as per personal communication with Colleen Donovan (Agrius cingulata, Long Branch, October 7, 2012); October 9, 2012

Monmouth County, New Jersey
Sphingidae

Hemaris thysbe, Port Monmouth, Monmouth County, New Jersey,
July 4, 2011, courtesy of Vic Godley, via Michael Godley.

This page is dedicated to Vic Godley and Michael Godley. Michael sent me the picture of Hemaris thysbe top of the page. The image was taken by his father Vic Godley in Port Monmouth, Monmouth County, New Jersey, July 4, 2011. Permission was granted to post the image.

Michael writes, "My father Victor Godley in Port Monmouth NJ, Monmouth County found this guy feeding from a Phlox plant in his yard on July 4th 2011. This was the only photo that came out good.

"My father has lived in this area for over 60 years and cannot recall ever seeing this creature. I live in the Philadelphia Suburbs and have never seen one. Are they common in my Dad's area?"

I reply, "That one is Hemaris thysbe, the Hummingbird Clearwing Moth. My Monmouth County Sphingidae pictoral checklist is at http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/njMonmouthsph.htm. I grew up in Hunterdon County.

"The moth is quite common in at least the eastern two-thirds of North America. We have them here on PEI also.

"I request your father`s permission to post image, credited to him, on the Monmouth County page. There are three clearwing species that fly in your area."

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke at oehlkew@islandtelecom.com
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information/sightings are welcomed by Bill.

Forty-four Sphingidae species are listed for New Jersey on the U.S.G.S. website. Not all of the species are reported or anticipated in Monmouth County (twenty-seven are reported on U.S.G.S. as of August 5, 2010). It is hoped that this checklist, with the thumbnails and notes, will help you quickly identify the moths 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. I have added quite a few species that I feel are likely present although unconfirmed.

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.

Many thanks also to Amy Hemming who sends the following images from Marlboro:

Hemaris thysbe, Marlboro, Monmouth County, New Jersey,
August 17, 2012, courtesy of Amy Hemming.

Hemaris thysbe, Marlboro, Monmouth County, New Jersey,
August 18, 2012, courtesy of Amy Hemming.

Colleen Donovan has documented Agrius cingulata, doubtless a stray from further south, in Long Branch, October 7, 2012.

Agrius cingulata, Long Branch, Monmouth County, New Jersey,
october 7, 2012, courtesy of Colleen Donovan, id by Bill Oehlke.

Please also send your sightings to BAMONA, an excellent on-line resource that has replaced USGS.

Visit Monmouth County Sphingidae Larvae: Caterpillars; Hornworms

Visit New Jersey Catocala: Underwing Moths

If you are travelling, you can find active Sphingidae checklists for all countries in North, Central, and South America and the Caribbbean via the links at North, Central, South American Sphingidae checklists

Sphinginae subfamily

Sphingini tribe:

Agrius cingulata WO, possible stray from further south/CD, Pink-spotted Hawkmoth

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).

Agrius cingulata, Long Branch,October 7, 2012, Colleen Donovan.

Ceratomia amyntor USGS, 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 USGS, 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.

Ceratomia undulosa USGS, 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.

Dolba hyloeus USGS, the Pawpaw Sphinx

The upperside of the forewing is dark brown with a dusting of white scales. Some moths have patches of reddish or yellowish brown on the wings.

Lapara bombycoides USGS, the Northern Pine Sphinx

The upperside of the forewing is gray with heavy black bands. The upperside of the hindwing is brownish gray with no markings.

Lapara coniferarum WO, the Southern Pine Sphinx

The upperside is of the forewing is gray with two (sometimes one or three) black dashes near the wing center; other markings are usually diffuse.

Lintneria eremitus WO, 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 jasminearum WO, the Ash Sphinx

The upperside of forewing is gray to grayish brown with a black line running from the middle of the costa to the middle of the outer margin; the line may be broken near the margin. There is a splash of brown around the cell spot.

Manduca quinquemaculatus USGS, the Five-spotted Hawkmoth

The moth abdomen usually has five but sometimes six pairs of yellow bands. The upperside of the forewing is blurry brown and gray.

Manduca rustica WO, possible stray from further south, 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.

Manduca sexta USGS, the Carolina Sphinx

The abdomen usually has six pairs of yellow bands, broken across the back. The sixth set of markings is quite small. The upperside of the forewing has indistinct black, brown, and white markings.

Paratrea plebeja USGS, 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 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.

Sphinx drupiferarum USGS, the Wild Cherry Sphinx

Sphinx drupiferarum larvae hide in the day and feed primarily on cherry, plum, and apple at night.

Sphinx franckii WO, Franck's Sphinx Moth

The outer margins of the forewings are slightly concave in the male, but not in the female. The costal half of the forewings are grey, but the posterior portion is a distinctive warm yellowish-brown; the boundary between these two areas is marked with a series of dark diagonal streaks.

Sphinx gordius USGS, the Apple Sphinx

The upperside of the forewing ranges from brown with black borders through brownish gray with paler borders to pale gray with no borders. Dashes, submarginal line, and cell spot are usually weak.

Sphinx kalmiae USGS, the Laurel Sphinx

The lower forewings are predominantly brownish-yellow with a fairly wide dark bar along the inner margin. At rest the wings hug the body, giving the moth a long slender look.

Smerinthini Tribe:

Amorpha juglandis USGS, 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 WO, the Modest Sphinx or Poplar Sphinx

This moth has a large, heavy body, and females can be remarkably plump. Larvae are fond of poplars and willows.

Paonias astylus USGS, the Huckleberry Sphinx

This appears to be an uncommon species.

Blueberry and huckleberry (Vaccinium), cherries (Prunus) and willows (Salix) are the favorites as larval foodplants.

Paonias excaecata USGS, the Blinded Sphinx

Named for the dull grey-blue spot (minus dark pupil) in the hindwing, this moth has a wide distribution and is common in Monmouth County. I regularly see them on Prince Edward Island, and they are reported as far south as Florida.

Paonias myops USGS, the Small-eyed Sphinx

Named for the small eye-spot in the hindwing, this moth has a wide distribution and is common in Monmouth County.

I regularly see them on Prince Edward Island, and they are reported as far south as Florida.

Smerinthus jamaicensis USGS, the Twin-spotted Sphinx

This moth is widely distributed and fairly common.

Along the East Coast, it flies from P.E.I. to Florida.

Macroglossinae subfamily


Dilophonotini tribe:

Enyo lugubris, the Mournful Sphinx, USGS, stray from further south

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.

See Hemaris comparison to help distinguish the next three species.

Hemaris thysbe USGS/MG/VG/AH, the Hummingbird Clearwing

It is not difficult to see why many gardeners would mistake an Hemaris thysbe moth for a small hummingbird as it hovers, sipping nectar from flowers through a long feeding tube.

Hemaris thysbe, Port Monmouth, July 4, 2011, Vic and Michael Godley.
Hemaris thysbe, Marlboro, August 17-18, 2012, Amy Hemming.

Hemaris diffinis USGS, the Snowberry Clearwing or Bumblebee Moth

Adults mimic bumblebees and are quite variable. The wings are basically clear, with dark brown to brownish-orange veins, bases and edges. The thorax is golden-brown to dark greenish-brown.

Hemaris gracilis WO, the Slender Clearwing or Graceful Clearwing
Hemaris gracilis is distinguished from similar species by a pair of red-brown bands on the undersides of the thorax, which varies from green to yellow-green dorsally and sometimes brown with white underneath. They have a red abdomen.

Philampelini tribe:

Eumorpha achemon USGS, the Achemon Sphinx

Adults nectar from flowers of Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), petunia (Petunia hybrida), mock orange (Philadelphus coronarius), and phlox (Phlox). Note the differences between this moth and the Pandorus Sphinx.

Eumorpha fasciatus Bug Guide, stray from further south, the Banded 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. Larvae feed upon primrose-willow, Ludwigia (water primrose) and other plants in the evening primrose family.

Eumorpha pandorus USGS, the Pandorus Sphinx

If you have Grape or Virginia Creeper nearby, then you probably have this species.

Macroglossini tribe:

Amphion floridensis USGS, the Nessus Sphinix

This day flier is widely distributed. If you have Virginia Creeper, you probably have the Nessus Sphinx. It is reported from Burlington.
Two bright, distinct, narrow yellow bands are often visible on the abdomen.

Cautethia grotei USGS, stray from further south, the Grote's Sphinx: The upperside of the forewing is pale silvery gray with black markings; in some moths the wing base may be very dark. The upperside of the hindwing is deep yellow-orange with a black border that covers less than half the wing. This species is rarely recorded in the U.S., but there are sightings from Florida, South Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Darapsa choerilus USGS, the Azalea Sphinx

They are common in New Jersey and common here on Prince Edward Island.

You will often see this species listed as Darapsa pholus, especially in older literature.
They are probably common in Burlington County.

Darapsa myron USGS, the Virginia Creeper Sphinx or the Grapevine Sphinx
The forewing upperside is dark brown to pale yellowish gray, with an olive tint. This species was quite common in rural New Jersey where the forewing color contained more green than described above.

Darapsa versicolor WO, the Hydrangea Sphinx

The forewing upperside is often greenish brown (photo to right) with curved dark lines and pinkish-white patches.

Deidamia inscriptum WO, the Lettered Sphinx

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 lineata USGS, the White-lined Sphinx

The forewing upperside is dark olive brown with paler brown along the costa and outer margin, a narrow tan band running from the wing tip to the base, and white streaks along the veins.

Sphecodina abbottii WO, the Abbott's Sphinx

This moth is very much under reported across the United States. It is a rapid day flier so is probably not in too many collections.

Grape is a popular larval host.

Xylophanes tersa USGS, the Tersa Sphinx

The upperside of the forewing is pale brown with lavender-gray at the base and has dark brown lengthwise lines throughout. The upperside of the hindwing is dark brown with a band of whitish, wedge-shaped marks.

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.

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