Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar
Upcoming Events

Photos of insects and people from the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2024

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2018 gathering in Virginia, July 27-29


Previous events


TaxonomyBrowse
Info
ImagesLinksBooksData

Genus Agrius

is this a Hawkmoth caterpillar? - Agrius cingulata Hornworm - Agrius cingulata Sphinx Moth Caterpillar - Agrius cingulata Hornworm - Agrius cingulata Agrius cingulata pupa - Agrius cingulata Sphinx sp. - Agrius cingulata Caterpillar - Agrius cingulata Large caterpiller - Agrius cingulata
Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both
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 Sphinginae
Tribe Sphingini
Genus Agrius
Explanation of Names
Author of genus is Hubner 1819. Agrius (or Agrios) is from Greek mythology. The Theioi Project says:
"Agrius and Oreios were a pair of half-human, half-bear Thrakian giants. They were transformed into birds by the gods as punishment for their cruel barbarity."

A species of hawkmoth, now Xylophanes porcus, was originally described in the genus Oreus by Hubner, see nearctica.com. This completed the mythological pairing, apparently.
Numbers
Nearctica.com lists one North American species.