Numbers
very common; sometimes abundant
Identification
Adult: forewing has muted "army camouflage" pattern - variably dark brown to pale yellowish-gray, often with green shading (some adults are completely shaded in various tones of green); PM line slightly curved; dark discal dot and pale shading in median area; dark AM and PM bands, and dark patches at apex and anal angle; hindwing brownish-orange
Larva: freshly-emerged larvae have a slender yellowish body, relatively large brown head, and disproportionately long black anal horn; mature larvae have a green or brown body with a white stripe along the side smudging downwards into diagonal stripes. Head and anterior thoracic segments slender in mature larvae (body swells greatly at third throacic segment, as in Azalea Sphinx). Spiracular spots small and orange, edged top and bottom with white dots. Horn granular.
Range
Eastern and central North America: Nova Scotia to Florida, west to Texas and New Mexico, north to Manitoba
Habitat
Woodlands and edges near hostplants; adults are nocturnal and attracted to light
Season
adults fly all year in Florida; March to September elsewhere
larvae present from April to November
Food
Larvae feed on leaves of
peppervine (
Ampelopsis spp.),
Viburnum, grape, and Virginia Creeper (
Parthenocissus quinquefolia).
Adults take nectar.
Life Cycle
one or two generations per year in the north; two or more generations in the south
See Also
Pandorus Sphinx is larger, less common, has a complex pattern of lines and patches along inner margin of forewing, and lacks orange on hindwing
(
compare images of both species at CBIF)
Azalea Sphinx (
Darapsa choerilus) forewing has a straight PM line and lacks green shading (
compare images of both species at CBIF)
Larvae of
Azalea Sphinx are similar, but their hostplants will usually help to distinguish them (however, both species share
Viburnum spp. as foodplants).
Print References
Wagner, p. 15--photo of larva
(2)
Salsbury, p. 327--photo of adult
(3)Internet References
live images of all life stages plus description, distribution, flight season, habitat, biology, foodplants, and information on rearing (Bill Oehlke, silkmoths.bizland.com)
live adult images (Lynn Scott, Ontario)
live larva image plus description, seasonality, foodplants, life cycle (David Wagner and Valerie Giles, Caterpillars of Eastern Forests, USGS)
pinned adult image by Paul Opler, plus US distribution map (butterfliesandmoths.org)
distribution in Canada list of provinces (CBIF)
live larva image (Eric Sterns, Ohio)
