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Digital Guide to Moth Identification

Sphingidae
890105 – 7789   Ceratomia catalpae (Boisduval, [1875])
             Catalpa Sphinx

© Patrick Coin
Distribution: From southern New England and Ontario westward through southern Michigan to Iowa, Nebraska and Colorado, south to Florida and Texas.
Seasonality
and Size:
Double-brooded, generally from April through September, with a slightly longer season in the south. Glaser gives flight dates in Maryland from 19 May - 10 October. Wingspan 65 - 95 mm.
Larva and
Host Plants:
The Catalpa tree is the larval food plant. Larva can be extremely abundant and easily defoliate individual trees. The larva are gregarious through the third instar.
Description/
Field Marks:
  • forewing yellowish-brown with indistinct black lines and dashes.
  • reniform spot black with grey filling.
  • hindwing yellowish-brown with indistinct lines.
Similar Species:
  • Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.)
Synonymy: Sphinx catalpae Boisduval, [1875]
Ceratomia kanawahensis Sweadner, Chermock & Chermock, 1940
Ceratomia kansensis Howe & Howe, 1950
References
  • Barcode of Life (BOLD) - Caution: Some specimens shown may not be sequenced. DNA barcode provides evidence of relatedness not proof of identification.
  • Covell Field Guide p.33; Pl. 5(9, male).
  • Hall et al., 2021. The Moths of North Carolina - website (identification, habitats and life history)
  • Hodges, R. W., 1971. Moths of America North of Mexico, Fascicle 21:p. 45; pl. 2.2. order or free PDF
  • Species Page at Bill Oehlke's moth website - Ceratomia catalpae
  • Species Page at BugGuide.Net
  • Species Page at Mass Moths
  • Tuttle, J. P., 2007. Hawk Moths of North America: p. 66; pl. 9.7.
  • Wagner, D. L., (2005). Caterpillars of Eastern North America, p. 251.
Ceratomia catalpae
© Bob Patterson
Ceratomia catalpae
© Bob Moul
Ceratomia catalpae
© Patrick Coin
Ceratomia catalpae
80mm – © Jim Vargo
Ceratomia catalpae
© McGuire Center LG

Ceratomia catalpae
© Charles Lewallen

Ceratomia catalpae
© Charles Lewallen

Ceratomia catalpae
© Yurika Alexander LG

Ceratomia catalpae
© Yurika Alexander LG


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