SPHINGIDAE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Dolba hyloeus

(Drury, 1773)

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Common Name(s): PawPaw Sphinx

Ecology and Life History: This moth can be found throughout the early Spring through early Fall throughout most of its range. In Florida, it can be found year-round. This species is quite common at light, but also can be found nectaring at flowers, especially Asclepias spp. Males and females of this species are nearly identical, with only marginal size differences. The larvae feed on many species of Ilex as well as Asimina trilobus.


Habitat and Searching for Larvae: This moth has very interesting hostplant habits, and therefore, can be found in a huge variety of habitats. In the middle-Atlantic region, in forests where there are plentiful Asimina trilobus, this species is reliably found by searching the leaves of mid-sized trees, especially the undersides of leaves near the petiole (1). However, in the Northeast, and places where Asimina doesn’t exist or grow, this moth happily uses Ilex as a host. When looking at Ilex, check at night. The larvae often feed quite openly toward the outsides or tops of plants. Because most species of Ilex lack the large round leaves of Asimina the larvae won’t hide on the leaves during the day, but rather on the stems toward the inside of the plant/bush (1).


Rearing Notes: This species seems to be quite easy to rear in captivity. Mating can be achieved relatively easily in a small cage and offering a branch of host plant for egg-laying. Adults will live longer if fed. Eggs are deposited on both surfaces of the leaf. Larvae should not be overcrowded, and will do well either indoors, in screen cages, or sleeved. Pupation is achieved using either the paper-towel method, or slightly moistened soil.


Adult description: This is a small moth, forewing only 22-30mm (2). This moth is overall a dark gray to dark black with lots of white blotching. The blotching is confined to only the outer part and very inner part of the forewings; there is a noticeable lack of blotching in the middle section. This moth can have some beautiful earthy brown hues on the forewing as well. In some populations, the maculation on the wings is barely noticeable. In other populations, the contrast is extremely high.1 There is a small but noticeable discal spot, generally cream or white in color. The hindwings of this species are dark, but have a large gray area in the center. The body of this moth is banded in black and white.

Larval description:
L5: The larvae are small, green to greenish-blue hornworms. The horn is blue-purple becoming more purple toward the tip. Like many other sphingids, the larva has 6 white stripes near the spiracle. Each stripe is highlighted by a smaller purple line underneath. The purple line does not continue into any other segment whereas the white line may. Each spiracle is purple and encircled by white.

Host plants:
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Picture
(C) Jennifer Forman Orth
Picture
L5 (C) Ashley Bosarge
Picture
The gallery to the left contains photos of Dolba hyloeus 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 Dolba hyloeus larval and pupal stages. If you have a photo that you would like to submit to us, please contact us.
(C) Ashley Bosarge
(C) Bernie Knaupp
(C) Jennifer Forman Orth
(C) Eric Eaton
(C) Ken Childs
(C) Ken Childs
(C) Teá Kesting-Handly
(C) Teá Kesting-Handly
(C) Teá Kesting-Handly
(C) Teá Kesting-Handly
(C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L3 (C) Ashley Bosarge
L5 (C) Ashley Bosarge
L5 (C) Ashley Bosarge
L5 (C) Ashley Bosarge
L5 prepupal (C) Jon Mularczyk
L5 (C) Jon Mularczyk
L3 - (C) Tom Murray
L5 - (C) Tom Murray
L5 - (C) Tom Murray
L5 - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L2 - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L5 (C) Ashley Bosarge - Parasitized
(C) Ashley Bosarge
(C) Ashley Bosarge
(C) Ashley Bosarge
L5 (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L2 (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L5 (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
Pupa - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L3 - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L3 - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L4 - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L4 - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L4 - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L5 - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L5 - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L5 - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L5 - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
Pupa - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
Pupa - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
Pupa - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
Pupa - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
Pupa - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
Pupa - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly

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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 © 2020
  • 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
      • 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