Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Silkworm, Sphinx, and Royal Moths (Bombycoidea) » Sphinx Moths (Sphingidae) » Sphinginae » Sphingini » Ceratomia » Elm Sphinx - Hodges#7786 (Ceratomia amyntor)
Photo#392538
Elm Sphinx adult for April in PA - Ceratomia amyntor
Copyright © 2010 Abigail Parker

Elm Sphinx adult for April in PA - Ceratomia amyntor
Temple University Campus, North Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, USA
April 23, 2010
Size: 2 inches long
Adult elm sphinx moth, reared from caterpillar collected in August 2009. I kept the pupa outside in a sheltered location, so it experienced natural temperature and weather conditions.

I wasn't sure I'd ever see this insect again, and was thrilled when I saw it climbing out of the dirt!

Images of this individual: tag all
Elm Sphinx caterpillar for August in PA - Ceratomia amyntor Elm Sphinx adult for April in PA - Ceratomia amyntor Elm Sphinx adult for April in PA - Ceratomia amyntor
Contributed by Abigail Parker on 5 May, 2010 - 12:40pm
Last updated 28 April, 2012 - 9:30am

lucky you
to see it climbing out of the dirt. little is known about earth pupaters so if you can try to escavate to the remains of the pupal shell and also put in if it wiggled up closer or if it eclosed and then crawled up its old tunnel.
too cool.
i have some burried ones and am waiting till next moths for them
… Edna Woodward, 5 May, 2010 - 1:16pm

 
yes, I kept the container
It was in a flowerpot full of dirt, and the exuvia must still be down there. I only saw it as it emerged from the dirt, I don't know if it was the same tunnel as it went down last year.

I was surprised that it emerged in April, but we've had very warm weather for the past two weeks.
… Abigail Parker, 5 May, 2010 - 1:43pm

 
Nice work.
Great job, Abigail. By the way, day length determines emergence much more so than temperature fluctuations. So, keeping the pupa exposed to natural light seems to be the key (though that admittedly does sound weird for a subterranean pupa....hm-m-m).
… Eric R. Eaton, 5 May, 2010 - 7:14pm

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2024 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology at Iowa State University logo