Umatilla County, Oregon, and Other Northeastern Counties:
Gilliam; Morrow; Union; Wallowa; Wheeler; Grant; Baker
Sphingidae Larvae

This page is inspired by and dedicated to Matthew J. Campbell who provides great images of all instars of Proserpinus clarkiae, featuring the images at the top of this page.

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

Only twenty-three Sphingidae species are listed for Oregon on the U.S.G.S. website (now BAMONA). Not all of the species are reported or anticipated in Umatilla County (Eleven species are reported on BAMONA as of June 18, 2018). It is expected that this checklist will also cover the species found in the other northeastern Oregon counties, as listed in the title.

It is hoped that this checklist, with the thumbnails and notes, will help you quickly identify the larvae you are likely to encounter.

A "WO" after the species name indicates that I have no confirmed reports of this species in your county, but I (William Oehlke) expect that this moth with its larvae are present or might be present.

A "BAMONA" indicates the moth is reported in Lepidoptera of North America, #1. Distribution of Silkmoths (Saturniidae) and Hawkmoths (Sphingidae) of Eastern North America, an excellent little booklet available through Paul Opler.

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.

Please also report your sightings to BAMONA, an excellent on-line resource.

Visit Oregon Sphingidae for links to other Oregon counties for adult moths as well as for larvae.

If you are travelling, visit Sphingidae of the Americas with checklists for all US states, all Canadian provinces and all countries in North, Central and Sounth America.

Visit Oregon Catocala; Underwing Moths.

Sphinginae subfamily Sphingini tribe: Ceratomia amyntor doubtful, but possible stray, 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. Manduca quinquemaculatus BAMONA, 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). Sometimes the larvae are chocolate brown to almost black. Sphinx chersis doubtful, but possibly in more westerly counties, 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/Union Co./Baker, the Wild Cherry Sphinx 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. Note purple oblique lines. Sphinx perelegans BAMONA/Union Co./Grant, the Elegant Sphinx: The basic body colour can be either glaucous or apple-green, without the earlier body tubercles. The oblique side stripes are white, edged with purple. The horn is sky blue. The spiracles are pale orange and the anal flap is edged with yellow. Sphinx sequoiae WO/Baker, the Sequoiae Sphinx: Larvae feed on California juniper (Juniperus californica) and Rocky Mountain juniper (J. osteosperma). Sphinx vashti BAMONA/Union Co./Wheeler Co./Grant/Baker, 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: Pachysphinx modesta BAMONA, the Modest Sphinx or Poplar Sphinx Larvae feed on poplars and cottonwood. The anal horn is greatly reduced in the final instar. Pachysphinx occidentalis BAMONA/Grant/Baker, the Big Poplar Sphinx Larvae feed on cottonwood and poplar (Populus) and willow (Salix). Larvae are very chunky with little to distinguish them from Pachysphinx modesta. Morrow Co. Paonias excaecata WO/Union Co., the Blinded Sphinx Larvae accept willows, birches, and cherries. I have also found them in the wild on oak in eastern Canada. Skin is quite granulous. Paonias myops BAMONA/Union Co./Baker, 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. There are varying degrees in the amount of red markings along the sides. Smerinthus cerisyi WO, Cerisy's Sphinx; Pale green, granular skin, pale lateral diagonal lines, faint red spiracular circles, very pale longitudinal lines running from head to more pronoun anal diagonal line. Green heads bounded dorsally with pale yellow inverted V. The following older records for cerisyi are more likely ophthalmica. BAMONA/Union Co./Wheeler Co./Grant/Baker Smerinthus ophthalmica WO: Ophthalmica larvae resemble cerisyi larvae, both being pale green, with granular skin, pale lateral diagonal lines, faint red spiracular circles, and very pale longitudinal lines running from head to more pronounced anal diagonal line. Larvae have green heads bounded dorsally with pale yellow inverted "V". Note blue horn. The following older records for cerisyi are more likely ophthalmica. BAMONA/Union Co./Wheeler Co./Grant/Baker Macroglossinae subfamily Dilophonotini tribe: Hemaris thetis BAMONA/Union Co./Wallowa Co./Grant/Baker. Larval host plants include Snowberry (Symphoricarpos), honeysuckle (Lonicera), Coralberry, viburnums, high bush cranberry and hawthorn (Crataegus). Horn is black with a slightly lighter base. This western species was formerly classified as H. diffinis or H. senta. Those species west of the Continental Divide are now classified as H. thetis. Macroglossini tribe: Arctonotus lucidus (now Proserpinus lucidus) BAMONA/Union Co./Grant/Baker, the Pacific Green Sphinx or Bear Sphinx Larvae feed on evening primrose (Oenothera dentata var. campestris) and clarkias. David Wikle fed them on both Mexican evening primrose, Oenothera berlandieri and evening primrose, Oenothera biennis. Earlier instars are green. Eye at dorsal posterior appears in fifth instar. 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). Hyles lineata BAMONA/Union Co./Grant/Baker, 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. Proserpinus clarkiae BAMONA/Union Co./Grant/Baker, Clark's Sphinx, Larvae feed on elegant fairyfan (Clarkia unguiculata) in the evening primrose family (Onagraceae). Proserpinus flavofasciata WO/Baker, Yellow-banded Day Sphinx, Larvae feed on willow weed (Epilobium) and possibly thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus).

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