WWW Moth Photographers Group website only

Digital Guide to Moth Identification

7787 – Waved Sphinx Moth – Ceratomia undulosa – (Walker, 1856)

Photographs are the copyrighted property of each photographer listed. Contact individual photographers for permission to use for any purpose.

© Mark Dreiling - DNA © Aubrey Scott

Distribution: Prince Edward Island to Alberta, North Dakota and Colorado, southward to Florida and western Texas. Seasonality and Size: Two broods in the south from March to October, one brood in the north from May to August. Glaser reports this moth as common throughout Maryland between 28 April and 8 September. Wingspan 78 - 110 mm. Larva and Host Plants: Light green hornworm, red/brown forms may be encountered: the horn may be pink. Seven pairs of oblique lateral stripes, and a broad stripe on the head from eyes to crown. Convex anal plate and anal prolegs with raised black spots Spiracles have a white center, edged with orange. Ash is the preferred food plant, but lilac, privet and fringe-tree may also be eaten. Field Marks: forewing usually pale brownish gray. Some individuals, particularly from the northern Great Plains, may be very dark, and others may be pale yellowish brown. jagged black lines and black dashes on forewings well defined. reniform spot large, white with black outline. hindwing gray with diffuse darker gray lines. Confusing Species: See discussion under 7786 - Elm Sphinx, C. amyntor.

References

Species Page at BugGuide.Net USA Distribution Map at BMNA. Bill Oehlke's Species Page. Covell Field Guide p.33; Pl. 4(10, male). J. P. Tuttle, 2007. Hawk Moths of North America: p. 64; pl. 9.9-10, 13. MONA Fascicle 21, p.42; Pl. 2(12, male). R. W. Hodges, 1971. MONA Fascicle 21:p. 42; pl. 2.12. Species page at E. H. Strickland Museum. Wagner, D. L., (2005). Caterpillars of Eastern North America, p. 252.

Data compiled and contributed by Nolie Schneider from references cited.

© Machele White © John Himmelman © Nolie Schneider

85mm – © Jim Vargo

© Bev Wigney

Moth Photographers Group  at the  Mississippi Entomological Museum  at the  Mississippi State University

Send suggestions, or submit photographs to Webmaster — Moth Photographers Group

Database design and scripting support provided by Mike Boone