Ceratomia undulosa

Common Name: Waved Sphinx
Ecology and Life History: This moth is active throughout the warm months in the Northeast, being seen from May through September as adults. In the South, this species may more or less be continually brooded. This species is highly attracted to light, with both sexes readily showing up, and often in good numbers. It is not attracted to bait, nor is it highly attracted to flowers. Females are usually larger and rounder than the males. Males have a distinctly conical shaped abdomen, often ending in a point. Females have a more rotund abdomen, ending in more of a blunt circle. Eggs are laid on the surfaces of hostplant leaves. They are usually laid singly, though many are laid per tree. The larvae feed singly, resting along the mid-vein on the underside of the leaf during the day. Larger caterpillars may retreat onto branches or deeper into the foliage. Caterpillars will thrash around when disturbed and attempt to bite. Caterpillars, especially younger instars, are capable of moving fairly quickly. As a larva, this species is beautifully variable. Some forms are green, others are pink and yellow, and others are combinations of those. All forms have a pink, or pinkish horn, and black speckling on the anal plate.

Habitat and Searching for Larvae: Larvae can be found on Fraxinus, Syringa, Ligustrum, and others. They are not very picky about habitat, being found in urban areas, suburban areas, and rural areas. Larvae are often found on the undersides of leaves, where they are either resting or feeding. Young larvae are easily located due to the small holes they’ll chew in the middle of hostplant leaves. Ceratomia undulosa larvae will seemingly use any available hostplant regardless of size. I have found larvae on trees 30-40’ tall, but also on recently cut saplings in an urban park where the foliage resembles a small scraggly bush. Generally, if a larva is on Fraxinus, it will be in the mid-section of the tree, usually not out of reach, or if it is, just barely. On Syringa and Ligustrum, they can be found virtually anywhere on the bush. This is a moth of urban backyards, street trees, suburban parks, and dense forest. It can seemingly show up anywhere. It is found most frequently in suburban areas where Fraxinus is heavily planted as a street tree. Larvae are present from June through October in the Northeast, and presumably year-round in the deep south. The larvae fluoresce under UV light, making them much easier to find.

Rearing Notes: Eggs are deposited readily in paper bags without the addition of hostplant material. Eggs are not usually laid the first night, but the second and third nights are extremely productive. A large female may lay hundreds of eggs over several nights. Larvae are generally found on plants in the Oleaceae, most frequently Fraxinus, Ligustrum, and Syringa. In captivity, larvae seem to be prone to several illnesses. Very frequently larvae will develop black splotching, particularly if larvae are overcrowded. Larvae are best reared in sealed containers that are ventilated several times a day, or sleeved on a hostplant. They do not tolerate excessive humidity well. Larvae can easily be sleeved on hosts, and unlike their cousin Ceratomia amyntor, the final instar larvae do not bite through the sleeves. Final instar larvae should be removed from the sleeve when they begin to wander. Pupation can be accomplished by providing soil for them to bury in, or by using the paper towel method (read about that here).

Host Plants:

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Adult Description: This is a medium sized moth with forewings 40-48mm (2). The overall appearance is gray, though some individuals have more of a brownish tint than others. This moth always has a large white discal spot, with various black streaks across the wings. This moth can resemble Ceratomia amyntor, but the lack of distinctive bicoloration will quickly separate the two. This moth also resembles Ceratomia hageni but this species lacks any green coloration on the wings.

Larval Description:
L2: A fairly unremarkable larva, it is small, with a pair of white dorsal lines. There are faint outlines of the 7 abdominal stripes, with really only the last one being fully present. The horn is quite long.
L3: A slim green larva with 7 white diagonal abdominal stripes, sometimes lightly traced in pink. The horn is noticeably pink and match the thoracic legs. The head capsule is green with two yellow-green stripes.
L4: At this stage, the larva can begin to show some variation including excess pink streaking above the white diagonal lines on each abdominal segment. Sometimes these segments may be almost entirely pink. There is black speckling on the anal plate.
L5: The highly variable larva comes in multiple color forms. Most common is the green form, however many individuals have various degrees of pink, some being almost entirely pink. They can also have a dark brown form. There are 7 diagonal lines that start at the spiracle on each segment, unlike some species, the line continues into the next segment. There is black speckling on the anal plate.The larvae are fairly smooth, and Tuttle notes that the dorsal surface of the larvae is generally darker than the ventral surface (2).

The gallery to the left contains photos of Ceratomia undulosa 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 undulosa larval and pupal stages. If you have a photo that you would like to submit to us, please contact us.