Butterflies, Moths, Dragonflies & Damselflies of Dayton, Ohio

SPHINX MOTHS GROUP #2: CAROLINA, waved, catalpa, TRUMPET VINE, HAGEN'S, AND PAWPAW sphinx

Waved Sphinx moth. This individual was photographed June 10th at Cox Arboretum. 

I find Hagen's Sphinx moths at my UV lights from late May through early September. 

Carolina Sphinx moths are very large insects. Their caterpillars feed on tomato plants, among other things. Many gardeners are disconcerted to find the large green caterpillars chomping on their tomato vines. I have seen adult Carolina Sphinx moths from June through September. 

Catalpa Sphinx. This moth is similar to the Waved Sphinx (above), but Catalpas are smaller and brownish rather than gray. Catalpa Sphinx moths also have fewer wavy lines on their wings than Waved Sphinx moths, and the spots on a Catalpa Sphinx are filled with a dull gray or brown color. The spots on a Waved Sphinx moth are filled with white. 

This is a Trumpet Vine Sphinx, also known as the Plebian (or Plebeian) Sphinx. Notice the vertical black dashes on the wings. These moths are noticably smaller than Waved and Catalpa Sphinx moths. Plebian Sphinx moths are also much less common then either of those species. They feed on trumpet vines and hardy passionflowers (I have both in my yard). I have found a couple of these moths in July and August. 

Catalpa Sphinx moths fly from June through early September.  

Another Pawpaw Sphinx, photographed July 15, 2018. I have only found a couple of these moths at my lights. 

Another Waved Sphinx moth. I have found this species in small numbers from late April through August. 

This is a Pawpaw Sphinx, a fairly small sphinx moth that feeds on pawpaws and other plants. Photographed August 22, 2022. 

This is a Hagen's Sphinx. These moths appear somewhat similar to the other sphinx moths on this page, but notice the pale markings near the wingtips. Also, fresh Hagen's Sphinx moths have a faint greenish color. 

Another Catalpa Sphinx. These are the most common sphinx moths at my lights during the summer. 

Another Hagen's Sphinx. Their host plant is the Osage-orange tree. 

Another Carolina Sphinx moth. These moths have six pairs of yellow spots on their abdomens. (Sometimes the sixth pair is small and hard to see.) A similar species, the Five-Spotted Hawkmoth, usually has five pairs of yellow spots instead of six.