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Species Ceratomia catalpae - Catalpa Sphinx - Hodges#7789
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 Ceratomia
Species catalpae (Catalpa Sphinx - Hodges#7789)
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.
Telemonus catalpae is a wasp in the Scelionidae family that parasitizes the eggs. (1) 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 Print References Covell p. 33 plate 5 #9 (2)
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)
Works Cited | 1. | Eastern Forest Insects
Whiteford L. Baker. 1972. U.S. Department of Agriculture · Forest Service. | |
| 3. | Caterpillars of Eastern Forests
David L. Wagner, Valerie Giles, Richard C. Reardon, Michael L. McManus. 1998. U.S. Dept of Agriculture, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team. | |
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