SPHINGIDAE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Lapara bombycoides

Walker, 1856

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Common Name(s): Northern Pine Sphinx

Ecology and Life History: This moth is active from May through September across most of its range. This species is highly attracted to light, and males and females with both come to it. Males tend to show up far more frequently to light. Bait is not a good method to attract this moth. Males and females look identical, though males are slightly smaller than females. Females have a larger, rounder abdomen. Eggs are laid on the needles of pine trees. Larvae feed singly. This species is incredibly well camouflaged on pine. The final instar larvae will sit in a cluster of pine needles and point their head inward, making them blend in extraordinarily well.

Habitat and Searching for Larvae: This is a species that specializes on pines. In the Northeast, White Pine (Pinus strobus) is most productive for finding larvae. Though, they also use hard pines such as Pitch (Pinus rigida). As these larvae are on pines, they can be anywhere on the trees, and can be out of reach. Larvae can be found on the lower boughs, all the way up to the top of the tree. Isolated smaller trees in fields are often good starting points to look for this species. This species can be found in fields, woodlands, suburban parks, and edge habitat so long as there is sufficient pine. Larvae can be found from June to October across most of its range. These larvae fluoresce brightly under UV light making them easy to locate.

Rearing Notes: Eggs can be obtained by placing a female in a paper bag for several days. The adults do not need to feed. Alternatively, a flight cage with fresh hostplant will also yield eggs. In captivity, this species will feed with pleasure on many pine species. White Pine and Pitch Pine have been used by us with great success. This species is not susceptible to any particular diseases. They are relatively humidity tolerant, but dislike high humidity for extended durations. Crowding is not an issue for this species and many larvae can be reared together. If using tupperware, larvae should not be over-crowded, but 10-15 larvae can be safely reared together. Sleeving is a great method for rearing this species. Tree limbs can easily be sleeved and multiple larvae can be reared together. Final instars should be removed for pupation. Pupation can be achieved using the paper towel method (outlined in the general information tab) or by placing the larvae in loose soil to bury.

Host plants:
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Picture
(C) Tea Montagna
Picture
Picture
Adult description: 
This is a fairly variable small moth with forewings 21-29mm in length (1). The overall appearance of this moth is gray. There may be some brown on the lower edge of the forewing, but it is usually absent. In Lapara coniferarum, there is significantly more brown on the lower edge of the forewing. This species has forewings that are usually well marked with brown and gray and it usually has two black lines. In Lapara coniferarum, the forewings are not very well marked and there is usually only one black streak. 

Larval description:
L5:  The larva is overall green in color and has multiple sets of white lines running down the entire length (from head to anal plate) with an orange head capsule. There are variable amounts of brown and red on the larva. The only difference between this species and Lapara coniferarum as larva are the presence of green thoracic legs.
The gallery to the left contains photos of Lapara bombycoides 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 Lapara bombycoides larval and pupal stages. If you have a photo that you would like to submit to us, please contact us.
(C) Nolie Schneider
(C) Teá Montagna
(C) Teá Montagna
(C) Teá Montagna
(C) Teá Montagna
(C) Maya Shikhman
(C) Teá Montagna
(C) Teá Montagna
(C) Teá Montagna
L5 (C) Jon Mularczyk
L5 (C) Bob Barber
L5 (C) Bob Barber -- showing the green true legs
L1 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L1 - (C) Teá Montagna
L2 - (C) Teá Montagna
L3 - (C) Teá Montagna
L3 - (C) Teá Montagna
L4 - (C) Teá Montagna
L4 - (C) Teá Montagna
L4 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L3 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
Pupa - (C) Teá Montagna
Pupa - (C) Teá Montagna
Pupa - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 (C) Tal Rutgers
L5 (C) Tal Rutgers
L5 (C) Tal Rutgers
L5 (C) Tal Rutgers
L5 (C) Tal Rutgers
L5 (C) Tal Rutgers
L3 - (C) Teá Montagna
L4 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L3 - (C) Teá Montagna
L3 - (C) Teá Montagna
L4 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L3 - (C) Teá Montagna
L3 - (C) Teá Montagna
L3 and L4 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L4 - (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 juanita
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 juanita
        • 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 kalmiae
        • Sphinx leucophaeata
        • Sphinx luscitiosa
        • Sphinx poecila
        • Sphinx gordius
        • Sphinx pinastri
  • Final Instar Larva Key
  • Hostplant Index
  • Parasitoids and Predators
  • Range
  • General Information
  • Sources and Acknowledgements
  • Other Resources
    • Sphingidae Publication Library
  • Store
  • Donations