SPHINGIDAE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Paonias astylus

(Drury, 1773)

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Common names: Huckleberry Sphinx

Ecology and Life History Overview: This moth flies from May to July in the Northeast, and through September in Florida. There are one or two broods in the Northeast, and 2 or 3 broods further south. This moth is heavily associated with Vaccinium spp. They  can be found in wetlands, marshes, pine barrens, and other habitats with lots of their host. The adults do not feed, but are readily attracted to light. They tend to fly later at night, usually between 0000 and 0330 (1). Adults lay eggs on their hostplant, presumably laying eggs on the underside of leaves. The larva, presumably rest on the plants during the day, feeding at night. As the larva grows, it develops a bicolored horn and some purple and red maculation, possibly allowing the now larger larva to better blend in.

Searching for Larvae  and Rearing Notes: The larvae I have recovered have all been along the edge of a field in large Vaccinium corymbosum plants (1). The field is bordered by wetlands and small ponds. Interestingly, I have not recovered larvae in Pine Barrens habitat, despite the moth being far more common there (1). It’s possible they are utilizing more Vaccinium angustifolia which is much more widespread there (1). The caterpillars are also easy to find using UV flashlights as they floresce brightly (1). 4th and 5th instar larvae readily accepted assorted Vaccinium and seemed to have no problem in captivity, but all wild collected larvae were parasitized (1).

Adult Description:
This moth has a 30-41mm forewing length (2). The forewings of this moth are totally smooth and lack any scallops or lobes. The ground color of the wings is distinctly orange, instantly separating it out from the other members of this genus. The hindwings are orange with a yellow circle that begins at the anal angle and encloses the bottom portion of the wing. Inside that area there is a blue fake eyespot enclosed in black. The way this moth sits is unique to the subfamily, and will help you narrow down your identification. If the hindwings are pulled up and are viewable from above the forewings, it’s likely a Smerinthinae.

Larval Description:
​
L4: The larva is a translucent green color with small granules, and some red splotching on the dorsal region. The horn of the larva is distinctly bicolored, usually brown/red and yellow. There may be some light yellow abdominal streaking. At this stage, you can separate this larva out from most other species.

L5: The ground color of the larva is light, almost lime green. The larva appears fairly granulose, and the horn which sticks straight up, is still distinctly bicolored. The amount of red and purple splotching varies from individual to individual, but is almost always present. Some final instar larvae may be overall “brighter” in color and seem more vivid, while others may appear more subdued. This seems to be indicative of how long the larva has been in the final instar, with the larva becoming duller as it approaches pupation.
Picture
(C) Teá Montagna
Picture
Picture
Hostplants:
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Cloud Database by Caspio
The gallery to the left contains photos of Paonias astylus 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 Paonias astylus larval and pupal stages. If you have a photo that you would like to submit to us, please contact us.
(C) Teá Montagna
(C) Teá Montagna
(C) Teá Montagna
(C) Maya Shikhman
(C) Teá Montagna
(C) Teá Montagna
L4 (C) Jon Mularczyk
L5 (C) Tom Murray
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 (C) Maya Shikhman
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L4 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L4 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Heath Bleau
L5 - (C) Heath Bleau
L5 - (C) Heath Bleau
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L4 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
Egg - (C) Teá Montagna
L1 - (C) Teá Montagna
L2 - (C) Teá Montagna
L3 - (C) Teá Montagna
L3 - (C) Teá Montagna
L3 - (C) Teá Montagna
L4 - (C) Teá Montagna
L4 - (C) Teá Montagna
L4 - (C) Teá Montagna
L4 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 (parasitized) - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L4 - (C) Teá Montagna
L2 - (C) Teá Montagna
L4 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
Pupa - (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 
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