SPHINGIDAE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Ceratomia catalpae

Boisduval, 1875

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Common Name: Catalpa Sphinx


Ecology and Life History: Adults are on the wing from May to October in the Northeast, lingering into November further south, and practically year-round in the Deep South. Adults are strongly attracted to light. They do not feed, so both sexes readily come to lights of any sort. Females are less common than males at light. Females are rounder than males, having a more rotund abdomen that ends in a blunt circle. Males are skinny and triangular shaped, with a conical abdomen. Eggs are laid in large clumps on the upper sides of host leaves. The larvae are gregarious, with hundreds feeding on the same tree. As such, they are often attacked by parasitic Braconidae. Unlike many other Sphingidae that start out gregarious, these larvae remain as such throughout their entire larval development. If you happen upon a caterpillar on a catalpa tree, take another look, there may very well be many more! This larva goes through many changes throughout its development. In its final instar, the black dorsal and side markings can vary greatly by individual. They are still unmistakeable for this species. Interestingly, due to this species abundance, many people in the Southeast use the larvae as bait for fishing.

Habitat and Searching for Larvae: This species prefers Catalpa Trees over all else. They are found on any decently sized Catalpa, and large trees are often home to dozens of larvae. Keep in mind that they are gregarious and lay eggs in large clumps, the tree must be large enough to support this, they will likely not lay on small saplings. This is a species that inhabits suburban yards and fencerows where Catalpa is plentiful. They are frequently a “yard” species for many people in the Southeast. Larvae are found from June through October in the Northeast, and present throughout the growing season in the South. In the deep south, this larva can be found year-round. This larva does not fluoresce very well under UV light.

Rearing Notes: This is absolutely the easiest Ceratomia species to rear. Obtaining eggs can be done by placing the female in a paper bag with Catalpa leaves. Alternatively, she can be sleeved on a Catalpa branch. In captivity, the larvae seem to only accept Catalpa. Due to their gregarious nature, they are not sensitive to crowding, nor develop the diseases generally associated with overcrowding. This species cannot handle high humidity, especially when in sealed tupperware. It is best to sleeve the larvae, or rear them in aquariums with screen lids. Unfortunately, Catalpa does not hold well when cut. Pupation is easy and best achieved by using the paper towel method. If soil is to be used, offering the larvae a 5 gallon bucket that is half-filled with substrate is more than sufficient.


Host plants:
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Picture
(C) Ken Childs
Picture
L5 (C) Jon Mularczyk
Picture
Adult Description: This is a medium sized moth, forewing approximately 27-45mm (2). The overall appearance of this moth is drab and brown. There is a gray reniform spot. Some well-marked individuals of this species, can resemble C. undulosa, but the presence of the gray reniform spot rather than bright white helps differentiate. There are black dashes and marks across the forewings that vary in darkness and thickness. The hindwings are a very nondescript brown color. The body is brown with cream lines on the sides.

Larval Description:
L1: Early instar larvae are gregarious, feeding in large groups until L4. They are small, with a thin spindly horn. 
L4:  At this stage, the larva is pale green-yellow with black dorsal markings. The dorsal portion of the larva may be white, contrasting with the black markings. Occasionally, the black markings bleed together and form streaks or lines. The horn is thin and spindly, and matches the jet black head capsule.
L5: This is a pale, thin  larvae with a black, spindly horn. There are black dorsal stripes along the larva, that may occasionally blend together to form splotches. The base color is green-yellow. The dorsal markings are highly variable, sometimes leading to a larva that is primarily black. The easiest way to identify this larva is by the black head capsule and black spindly horn.
The gallery to the left contains photos of Ceratomia catalpae adults. If you have a photo that you would like to submit to us, please contact us.

The gallery to the right contains photos of Ceratomia catalpae larval and pupal stages. If you have a photo that you would like to submit to us, please contact us.
(C) Ken Childs
(C) Ken Childs
(C) Teá Kesting-Handly
(C) Teá Montagna
(C) Teá Montagna
L5 (C) Jon Mularczyk
L5 (C) Jon Mularczyk
L4/5 (C) Eric Eaton
L5 (C) Jon Mularczyk
L5 - (C) Eric Eaton - Parasitized
L3 - (C) Teá Montagna
L4 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
Pupa - (C) Teá Montagna
Pupa - (C) Teá Montagna

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Macroglossinae

Aellopos clavipes
Aellopos fadus
Aellopos tantalus
Aellopos titan
Amphion floridensis
Cautethia grotei
Callionima falcifera
Callionima parce
Darapsa choerilus
Darapsa myron
Darapsa versicolor
Deidemia inscriptum
Enyo lugubris
Enyo ocypete
Erinnyis alope
Erinnyis crameri
Erinnyis ello
Erinnyis guttularis
Erinnyis lassauxii
Erinnyis oenotrus
Erinnyis obscura
Eumorpha achemon
Eumorpha fasciatus
Eumorpha intermedia
Eumorpha labruscae
Eumorpha pandorus
Eumorpha satellitia
Eumorpha vitis
Eumorpha typhon
Eupyrrhoglossum sagra​
Hemaris diffinis
Hemaris gracilis
Hemaris thysbe
Hyles euphorbiae
Hyles gallii
Hyles lineata
Madoryx pseudothyreus
Pachylioides resumens
Pachylia ficus
Perigonia lusca
Phryxus caicus
Proserpinus flavofasciata
Proserpinus gaurae
Proserpinus lucidus
Pseudosphinx tetrio
Sphecodina abbottii
Xylophanes falco
Xylophanes pluto
Xylophanes libya
Xylophanes porcus
Xylophanes tersa

Smerinthinae

Protambulyx strigilis
Amorpha juglandis
Pachysphinx modesta
Pachysphinx occidentalis
Paonias astylus
Paonias excaecata
Paonias myops
Smerinthus cerisyi
Smerinthus jamaicensis

Sphinginae

Agrius cingulata
Ceratomia amyntor
Ceratomia catalpae
Ceratomia hageni
Ceratomia undulosa
Cocytius antaeus
Cocytius duponchel
Dolba hyloeus
Isoparce cupressi
Lapara bombycoides
Lapara coniferarum
Lintneria istar
Lintneria separatus
Lintneria eremitus
Manduca jasminearum
Manduca occulta
Manduca brontes cubensis
Manduca florestan
Manduca muscosa
Manduca quinquemaculatus
Manduca rustica
Manduca sexta
Neococytius cluentius
Paratrea plebeja
Sphinx canadensis
Sphinx chersis
Sphinx dollii
Sphinx drupiferarum
Sphinx frankii
Sphinx gordius
Sphinx kalmiae
Sphinx leucophaeata
Sphinx luscitiosa
Sphinx pinastri
Sphinx poecila 
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  • Home
  • Sphingidae Index
    • Macroglossinae >
      • Aellopos >
        • Aellopos clavipes
        • Aellopos fadus
        • Aellopos tantalus
        • Aellopos titan
      • Amphion >
        • Amphion floridensis
      • Callionima >
        • Callionima falcifera
        • Callionima parce
      • Cautethia >
        • Cautethia grotei
      • Darapsa >
        • Darapsa versicolor
        • Darapsa myron
        • Darapsa choerilus
      • Deidamia >
        • Deidamia inscriptum
      • Enyo >
        • Enyo lugubris
        • Enyo ocypete
      • Erinnyis >
        • Erinnyis alope
        • Erinnyis crameri
        • Erinnyis ello
        • Erinnyis guttularis
        • Erinnyis lassauxii
        • Erinnyis oenotrus
        • Erinnyis obscura
      • Eumorpha >
        • Eumorpha pandorus
        • Eumorpha achemon
        • Eumorpha fasciatus
        • Eumorpha satellitia
        • Eumorpha labruscae
        • Eumorpha intermedia
        • Eumorpha vitis
        • Eumorpha typhon
      • Eupyrrhoglossum >
        • Eupyrrhoglossum sagra
      • Hemaris >
        • Hemaris thysbe
        • Hemaris gracilis
        • Hemaris diffinis
        • Hemaris aethra
      • Hyles >
        • Hyles gallii
        • Hyles euphorbiae
        • Hyles lineata
      • Madoryx >
        • Madoryx pseudothyreus
      • Pachylioides >
        • Pachylioides resumens
      • Pachylia >
        • Pachylia ficus
      • Phryxus >
        • Phryxus caicus
      • Perigonia >
        • Perigonia lusca
      • Proserpinus >
        • Proserpinus flavofasciata
        • Proserpinus gaurae
        • Proserpinus lucidus
        • Proserpinus terlooii
      • Pseudosphinx >
        • Pseudosphinx tetrio
      • Sphecodina >
        • Sphecodina abbottii
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        • Xylophanes falco
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        • Xylophanes pluto
        • Xylophanes porcus
        • Xylophanes tersa
    • Smerinthinae >
      • Amorpha >
        • Amorpha juglandis
      • Pachysphinx >
        • Pachysphinx modesta
        • Pachysphinx occidentalis
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      • Lintneria >
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        • Lintneria istar
        • Lintneria separatus
      • Manduca >
        • Manduca brontes cubensis
        • Manduca jasminearum
        • Manduca muscosa
        • Manduca occulta
        • Manduca florestan
        • Manduca quinquemaculatus
        • Manduca rustica
        • Manduca sexta
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      • Sphinx >
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        • Sphinx chersis
        • Sphinx dollii
        • Sphinx drupiferarum
        • Sphinx franckii
        • Sphinx gordius
        • Sphinx kalmiae
        • Sphinx leucophaeata
        • Sphinx luscitiosa
        • Sphinx poecila
        • Sphinx pinastri
  • Final Instar Larva Key
  • Hostplant Index
  • Parasitoids and Predators
  • Range
  • General Information
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  • Other Resources
    • Sphingidae Publication Library
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