sphinx moth - Eumorpha pandorus

Moved

… Maury J. Heiman, 13 June, 2018 - 8:05pm

Correction--

This is absolutely not Eumorpha intermedia B.P. Clark. It is undoubtedly Eumorpha pandorus, most probably a female, and probably a week old, being in the sun daily it fades. I will remind the doubters that I am the person who elevated intermedia to species status. Brou Jr., Vernon A. 1980. New status for Eumorpha intermedia (Sphingidae). Jour. Lepid. Soc. 34: 302-306. I am quite familiar with both pandorus and intermedia as I have personally captured hundreds of these over the past 60+ years. I also reported on both of these species in my 30-year sphingid study where 83,889 adult Sphingidae specimens were discussed. Brou Jr., Vernon A. and C.D. Brou 1997. Distribution and phenologies of Louisiana Sphingidae. Jour. Lepid. Soc. 51: 156-175.

… Vernon Antoine Brou Jr., 20 January, 2018 - 8:06am

Eumorpha intermedia

Thanks Rebecca,
Yes, I would be interested in seeing and posting additional images of Eumorpha intermedia as well as images of Catocala (underwing moths),
Saturniidae (giant silkmoths) and other Sphingidae (hawk moths) that you (or others) encounter.
I have posted your image of Eumorpha intermedia, credited to you, to
newly created Glynn County page at http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/gaGlynnsph.htm
as well as to the intermedia species file.
This species flies in coastal lowlands in southeastern US and is not often reported anywhere. It is probably locally common and just does not get reported. It is easily confused with Eumorpha pandorus, but the larvae are very different.
Please send additional images to oehlkew@islandtelecom.com

… Bill Oehlke, 11 October, 2010 - 6:44am

Eumorpha intermedia

Rebecca,

As far as I know it is the first record of Eumorpha intermedia in Glynn County, but that does not necessarily mean it is rare, probably just under reported.

The USGS website (Georgia section) only has it reported/documented in Screven County in Georgia, but I suspect it is present in all the coastal counties.

The above comment should not be interpreted as a criticism of the USGS website, now called Butterflies and Moths of North America.

I use that website quite often as a reference. Its mandate is to present documented information, and it avoids speculation. My websites try to provide images and information for what is likely present. My website coverage relies on USGS data, James P. Tuttle's excellent book, submissions from close to a thousand individuals throughout US, and my own interpolations from that data.

Because of the tremendous amount of information transfer that now takes place via the internet and various websites such as this one, ie., Bug Guide,
Moth Photographers Group, Daniel Marlos's What's That Bug, my own webpages, submissions by yourself and other like minded people, etc., information regarding distributions is becoming much more readily available. Digital cameras have greatly contributed to more complete coverage.

I suspect if you start looking in appropriate locations, you will be able to find larvae of this species next August, September.

Bill Oehlke

… Bill Oehlke, 11 October, 2010 - 7:09am

Moved

Moved from Pandorus Sphinx.

… Maury J. Heiman, 10 October, 2010 - 11:06pm

Eumorpha intermedia

Rebecca,

As Edna indicated, I feel it is most likely Eumorpha intermedia, and I did send the image to James P. Tuttle so that he could offer an opinion.

Here is what he wrote back:
"I am confident it is intermedia... always a good catch!!!! Is the contributor willing to have it mentioned in the Lepsoc Season Summary? If so, details."

I would also like permission to post it my Sphingidae pages, credited to you??

Please let me know if Jim can post it to Lep. Soc. season summary and if I can post it, credited to you, to Glynn County page which I will create, as well as
to intermedia species file?

You mention Jekyll Island County in your posting. Is Jekyll Island
now recognized as a separate county or it it still part of Glynn County?

Bill Oehlke

… Bill Oehlke, 10 October, 2010 - 9:35pm

I posted a request to create

I posted a request to create a page in the guide for Eumorpha intermedia so this image can be moved to its proper place. You are more than welcome to use the photo, mention it in your season summary, etc., and to answer your question, Jekyll Island is still part of Glynn County. I can provide any more details you might need, and I have a couple more photos if you'd like them.

I take it this is the first record of this species for the county, looking at the info available online? Is it considered a rarity? Sadly, not knowing this was an unusual insect, a coworker who came across it after I'd photographed it ended up feeding it to our (enormous) captive toad.

… Rebecca Deatsman, 10 October, 2010 - 9:52pm

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… Rebecca Deatsman, 6 October, 2010 - 6:56pm

i'll go with pandorus

Looking at the descriptions of their ranges, Pandorus seems more likely here than Satellite, and I'll move the image there. Thanks as always! I'm amazed in the variety of colors in some of the other images for these species, pinks and greens...

… Rebecca Deatsman, 6 October, 2010 - 6:55pm

there is another possibility

sent the image to Bill..
Edna,
I have sent Eumorpha image to Jim Tuttle for his opinion. I think it is most likely Eumorpha intermedia which is a known inhabitant of southeastern Georgia, but is could be a wind assisted stray of Eumorpha satellitia from Jamaica.
Bill Oehlke
you can have a look here:http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/einterme.htm its not in the guide

… Edna Woodward, 7 October, 2010 - 7:44am

thanks!

I can't wait to hear what you guys decide. (One of my coworkers ended up feeding this moth to the huge toad we have in our herps lab; I told him today it might have been a rarity from Jamaica and he was mortified.)

… Rebecca Deatsman, 7 October, 2010 - 10:37pm

Pandorus Sphinx

I would go with Pandorus Sphinx - Eumorpha pandorus, due to the dark brown band on the upper abdomen. The Achemon Sphinx is lighter in that area.

… Mark H Brown, 5 October, 2010 - 10:23pm

woops i missed that!

but how about satelite?

… Edna Woodward, 5 October, 2010 - 10:53pm

Could be

I didn't even know about the Satellite Sphinx, so it's definitely a possibility; the images look quite similar to each other. Perhaps range could be a deciding factor?

… Mark H Brown, 6 October, 2010 - 10:59am

see bill Os comment we will soon find out..

its just too brown for pandorus

… Edna Woodward, 7 October, 2010 - 5:03pm

maybe?

Hodges#7858 (Eumorpha satellitia)seems a perfect match

… Edna Woodward, 5 October, 2010 - 9:50pm