Species Paonias excaecata - Blinded Sphinx - Hodges#7824
Classification Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Bombycoidea (Silkworm, Sphinx, and Royal Moths)
Family Sphingidae (Sphinx Moths)
Subfamily Smerinthinae
Tribe Smerinthini
Genus Paonias
Species excaecata (Blinded Sphinx - Hodges#7824)
Other Common Names Blind-eyed Sphinx Synonyms and other taxonomic changes Paonias excaecata (alternate spelling)
Sometimes misspelled "exaecatus," probably repeating a mistake in Covell's plate in the first edition (1), corrected in the second (2005) edition Explanation of Names EXCAECATUS: from Latin excaeco "to blind", which derives from Latin "caecus" (blind)
BLINDED SPHINX: speculative origin - the small blue spot (or "iris") on the hindwing has no central black spot (or "pupil") - see image - and is therefore "blind"; compare the hindwing spot of Smerinthus cerisyi whose large black pupil allows it to "see" Identification Adult: forewing various shades of brown with conspicuously scalloped outer margin; fringe white, composed of thin arcs in sinuses between scallops; median area may have purplish tint, and subterminal area may have greenish tint; hindwing brown in upper half, pink in lower half; large black spot near inner margin has small central blue spot with no black spot inside it
Larva: body green or yellowish-green, heavily granulose, and with dense white speckles; oblique yellow line extends from base of proleg on A6 to dorsal horn on A8; six oblique yellow lines from A2-A6; white spiracles with black rim; occasionally red spots near spiracles and prolegs; horn somewhat arched below, extending to end of body; head triangular with line of whitened granulose spots running to vertex Range all of the United States' Lower 48 and southern Canada Habitat open deciduous forests, woodland edges, clearings, shrubby areas, gardens; adults are nocturnal and attracted to light Season adults fly May-August; most common in June and July in the north and west
larvae present May-November Food Larvae feed on leaves of a variety of deciduous trees and shrubs, including apple, basswood, birch, cherry, elm, Hardhack (Spiraea douglasii), hawthorn, Hop Hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana), Ninebark (Physocarpus capitatum), Ocean Spray (Holodiscus discolor), poplar, rose, serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.), willow
Adults do not feed Life Cycle two or three generations per year in the south, one generation in the north and west; overwinters as a pupa
Eggs; first instar larva and eggs; larva; larva; pupae; adult
See Also compare adult images of related species at CBIF Print References Covell, p. 37, plate 6 #3. Specific epithet misspelled on plate in first edition (1); corrected in second (2005) edition Internet References Moth Photographers Group - species page with photos of live and pinned adults.
Maryland Moths adult images (Larry Line)
Butterflies and Moths of Vancouver Island live larva and adult images, plus foodplants and other info (Jeremy Tatum)
pinned adult image plus habitat, flight season, description, biology, foodplants, distribution (Strickland Entomological Museum, U. of Alberta)
pinned adult image plus common name references, description, similar species, distribution, foodplants (Gerald Fauske, Moths of North Dakota)
Dallas Butterflies pinned adult image of specimen collected in Maryland, plus foodplants (Dale Clark)
US distribution map plus pinned adult image by Paul Opler (Butterflies and Moths of North America, butterfliesandmoths.org)
distribution in Canada list of provinces (CBIF) Works Cited | 1. | Peterson Field Guides: Eastern Moths
Charles V. Covell. 1984. Houghton Mifflin Company. | |
|
