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Digital Guide to Moth Identification

Sphingidae 890103 – 7787   Ceratomia undulosa (Walker, 1856)              Waved Sphinx

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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. Description/ 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. Similar Species: See discussion under 7786 - Elm Sphinx, C. amyntor. Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.) Synonymy: undulosa Walker 1856 (Daremma) - MONA 1983: 7787 borealis Clark 1929 (Ceratomia) engeli Chermock & Chermock 1940 (Ceratomia) polingi Clark 1929 (Ceratomia) repentinus Clemens 1859 (Ceratomia)

References

Barcode of Life (BOLD) - Caution: DNA barcode provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification, and some BOLD specimens shown may not be sequenced. Covell Field Guide p.33; Pl. 4(10, 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. 42; pl. 2.12. order or free PDF Species Page at Bill Oehlke's moth website - Ceratomia undulosa Species Page at BugGuide.Net Species Page at E. H. Strickland Museum Species Page at Mass Moths Species Page at Pacific Northwest Moths Tuttle, J. P., 2007. Hawk Moths of North America: p. 64; pl. 9.9-10, 13. Wagner, D. L., (2005). Caterpillars of Eastern North America, p. 252.

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