Species Dolba hyloeus - Pawpaw Sphinx - Hodges#7784

7784

First described in 1773 by Dru Drury as Sphinx hyloeus

Sometimes spelled hylaeus

Probably from Greek hylaios (υλαιος)- "of the woods, wild, savage", though there is also a centaur by that name in Greek mythology

Wingspan 50 -68 mm

Looks like a miniature Rustic Sphinx--dark brown to black with white dusting. Rustic Sphinx has orange spots on sides of abdomen, Pawpaw has white spots. These spots are visible only when the wings are spread. Forewing patterns are very similar, but there are subtle differences--see photos and Internet references. Caterpillar is pale/bright green, six white stripes on abdomen--no bands towards head. Spiracles small, black, with white outer ring.

Eastern North America, more common in south

Typically bottomland forests

June-September (two broods in south, one in north)

Larvae feed on various trees and shrubs: Hollies--Ilex, Blueberries--Vaccinium, Pawpaw--Asimina, Sweetfern--Comptonia .

Covell, p. 33, plate 5 #1. This reproduction of this species is very dark, and it is hard to see the wing pattern. (1)

Wagner, p. 11 (2)

Moth Photographers Group (MPG)

Butterflies and Moths of North America

Caterpillars of Eastern Forests

Bill Oehlke's Sphinx Moth site

Candadian Biodiversity

NCSU Entomology collection--25 pinned, including specimens from North Carolina

Illustrations of Natural History, p.45 (pl.26, fig.3)    Drury's original description of the species (illustration here and index with the name here).