Sphinginae subfamily
Sphingini tribe:
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Manduca quinquemaculata
WO, the Five-spotted Hawkmoth.
This large bodied moth flies in tobacco fields and vegetable gardens (potatoes, tomatoes)
and wherever host plants are found. |
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Sphinx chersis WO, 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. |
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Sphinx drupiferarum
WO, Wild Cherry Sphinx. Forewings, long and slender, are held close to the body when the
moth is at rest. Note broad, light grey area along forewing costa.
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Sphinx perelegans WO, Elegant Sphinx.
Adults fly in montane woodlands and mixed chaparral-type vegetation as a single brood
in the north, with adults mainly on the wing in June and July.
It flies from dusk until after midnight. |
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Sphinx vashti WO, 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:
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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. |
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Smerinthus cerisyi MP, 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.
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Mike Patterson, May 26, 2005, Astoria (more likely S. ophthalmica)
 | Larvae feed on poplars, aspen and willows.
Note different shape of double arced forewing pm line compared to the straighter pm line of cerisyi, directly above.
S. ophthalmica has smoother scalloping of the fw outer margin.
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Macroglossinae subfamily
Dilophonotini tribe
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Hemaris thysbe WO, the Hummingbird Clearwing,
Many gardeners mistake this moth for a small hummingbird as it
hovers, sipping nectar from flowers through a long feeding tube.
Flight is probably from late May-July and possibly again in the fall.
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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.
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Macroglossini tribe
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Hyles gallii WO, the Bedstraw Hawk Moth or Gallium Sphinx
Larvae feed on Epilobium angustifolium and Galium. I expect
flight is late May-July with a possible fall flight as well. |
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Hyles lineata MP, 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. |
Mike Patterson, May 12, 2005, Neawanna Bird Banding Station, Seaside.
Mike writes, "Checking back to last year, the White-lined Sphinx Moth
spike was in mid-April."
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Adults fly in the afternoon from April-June in oak woodland and
pine-oak woodland in foothills, nectaring from chia, heartleaf
milkweed, golden currant, bluedicks, fairyfans, vetches,
thistles, hedgenettles, etc. |
 | Proserpinus flavofasciata adults fly from
April-June in meadows in coniferous forests. Adults fly during the
afternoon, nectaring from lilac, dandelion, cherry, etc. |
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