SPHINGIDAE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Deidamia inscriptum

(harris, 1839)

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Common Name(s): Lettered Sphinx
Ecology and Life History:
In the Northeastern USA, this is one of our earliest flying Sphingidae, spanning from April to June. In the South it can fly even earlier. This moth is highly attracted to light, and other methods do not yield similar results. Adults of this species are not sexually dimorphic, and both sexes have the same patterning. Males tend to have thinner more triangular abdomens and often hold them slightly upturned at rest. Females have a much thicker conical abdomen and do not ever hold it upturned. Eggs are laid singly on the leaves of hostplant. They will occasionally find a suitable vine to lay, and lay multiple eggs, but the eggs are never grouped. Larvae feed singly in all instars. They are often feeding and resting on the undersides of leaves. First instars chew neat little holes in the leaves and often rest right near them. Older instars consume leaves starting at the edges.

Habitat and Searching for Larvae:
Larvae are inhabitants of Vitaceous vines, and use Parthenocissus, Vitis, and Ampelopsis. Larvae can be found virtually anywhere on the vines, but prefer leaves halfway up (chest height) especially ones draped over an object and slightly open around it (think a vine on a fence). They are rarely found on the bottoms of vines. This is a moth of suburban yards, urban parks, wetlands, fields, river-edges, and fencerows. Virtually anywhere there is ample host, this moth can occur. Larvae can be found from May through July, with the largest peak in mid to late June in the Northeast. This larva glows quite well under UV light, and searching the undersides of grape leaves with a UV flashlight is quite productive as many species of Sphingidae use it.

Rearing Notes:
This species will readily lay eggs in captivity. Placing adult females in brown paper bags, or a styrofoam cooler with leave you with many eggs. The adults do not need to be fed in captivity. As previously stated, this larva does well on most Vitaceous vines. In captivity, Vitis or Parthenocissus quinquefolia seems to be best for rearing. This species can be prone to disease and subsequent dying in captivity. It is important to keep the caterpillars well-ventilated, and not crowded. Young instars especially are prone to over-hydration and death when overcrowded. Sleeving is an exceptionally good method for rearing this larvae. Placing an entire vine of hostplant in a sleeve with a number of caterpillars will result in many becoming pupae. Pupation is easy using either soil, or the paper towel method outlined in the general information tab of this website. Pupae are prone to dessication, particularly because they pupate so early in the year. Keep pupae moist and check daily until they go into diapause for the winter. This species does need a diapause period before eclosing. 


Adult description:
This is a small sphingid, with forewings 22-25mm in length (1). Often one of the earliest flying species, with records from the Northeastern US in late March or April. The forewings are brown, and are deeply serrated. There is usually a black line that cuts the wing in half that curves upward from the anal angle of the forewing to the costa. The apex of the wing is usually lighter than the rest of the wing. The hindwings are very plain and brown.

Larval description:
L5:  The ground color of the larva is green with yellow patterning on the sides. The green is lighter on the sides below the yellow markings and darker on the dorsal surface. The larva has a distinctly yellow horn with a black tip, yellow thoracic legs, and black spiracles. Because the adult moth flies so early in the season, most caterpillars have pupated by late June in the Northeast and likely earlier farther South.

Host plants:
Click here to load this Caspio Cloud Database
Cloud Database by Caspio
Picture
(C) Teá Montagna
Picture
L5 - (C) Marcie O'Connor
Picture
The gallery to the left contains photos of Deidamia inscriptum 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 Deidamia inscriptum 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) Ken Childs
(C) Teá Montagna
(C) Alex Baranowski
(C) Teá Montagna
(C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Marcie O'Connor
L4 - (C) Teá Montagna
L1 - (C) Teá Montagna
(C) Alex Baranowski
L3 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (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 
Copyright © 2022
  • 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
      • Xylophanes >
        • Xylophanes falco
        • Xylophanes libya
        • Xylophanes pluto
        • Xylophanes porcus
        • Xylophanes tersa
    • Smerinthinae >
      • Amorpha >
        • Amorpha juglandis
      • Pachysphinx >
        • Pachysphinx modesta
        • Pachysphinx occidentalis
      • Paonias >
        • Paonias excaecata
        • Paonias myops
        • Paonias astylus
      • Protambulyx >
        • Protambulyx strigilis
      • Smerinthus >
        • Smerinthus jamaicensis
        • Smerinthus cerisyi
    • Sphinginae >
      • Agrius >
        • Agrius cingulata
      • Ceratomia >
        • Ceratomia amyntor
        • Ceratomia hageni
        • Ceratomia undulosa
        • Ceratomia catalpae
      • Cocytius >
        • Cocytius antaeus
        • Cocytius duponchel
      • Dolba >
        • Dolba hyloeus
      • Isoparce >
        • Isoparce cupressi
      • Lapara >
        • Lapara coniferarum
        • Lapara bombycoides
      • Lintneria >
        • Lintneria eremitus
        • Lintneria istar
        • Lintneria separatus
      • Manduca >
        • Manduca brontes cubensis
        • Manduca jasminearum
        • Manduca muscosa
        • Manduca occulta
        • Manduca florestan
        • Manduca quinquemaculatus
        • Manduca rustica
        • Manduca sexta
      • Neococytius >
        • Neococytius cluentius
      • Paratrea >
        • Paratrea plebeja
      • Sphinx >
        • Sphinx canadensis
        • 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
  • Sources and Acknowledgements
  • Other Resources
    • Sphingidae Publication Library
  • Store
  • Donations