Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
described in 1875 by Boisduval, who originally placed it in genus Sphinx
Identification
Adult: forewing brown with black-rimmed gray discal spot and faint dark lines crossing wing; hindwing brown with 2 or 3 transverse lines; abdomen brown with no yellow spots
Larva: early instars mostly white with black polkadots; later instars mostly black with broad yellow lateral stripe (see photos at bottom of
this page)
Range
Eastern United States, west to Texas and Colorado, plus southern Ontario; more common in south.
Habitat
Deciduous forests, woodlands, suburbs containing hostplants.
Season
Adults fly from April to October (two or more broods in the south)
Larvae present from May to November
Food
Larvae feed on leaves of
Northern Catalpa (
Catalpa speciosa) and
Southern Catalpa (
C. bignonioides). As the included range maps indicate, these tree species are native to eastern United States, but introduced to Ontario.
Adults probably do not feed.
Life Cycle
From one generation per year in the north, up to five generations in the south (Louisiana). Larvae pupate in soil at base of tree. Overwinters as a pupa.
Remarks
Larvae are gregarious and often used as fish bait in the southeastern states.
See Also
Carolina Sphinx (
Manduca sexta) is larger [wingspan 90-120 mm], forewing is grayer, and abdomen has prominent yellow spots (
compare images of both species at CBIF)
Elm Sphinx (
Ceratomia amyntor) forewing has prominent black streaks;
Waved Sphinx (
C. undulosa) forewing is grayer, with white discal spot and more numerous wavy lines (
compare images of all 3 species at CBIF)
Hagen's Sphinx (
C. hageni) forewing has pale patch at apex, lacking in Catalpa Sphinx
Internet References
pinned adult image (Dale Clark, Texas)
live images of all life stages plus description, flight season, foodplants, biology, and other information (Bill Oehlke, silkmoths.bizland.com)
presence in Florida; list (John Heppner, Florida State Collection of Arthropods)
