The genus Smerinthus has 4 species in the USA. There are about 10 species worldwide.
Type specimen: Sphinx (Smerinthus) ocellata - Linnaeus, 1758
Synonyms: N/A
General Information: These are gray moths with various amounts of forewing maculation. The hindwings are often brightly colored with fake eyespots.
If you have narrowed something down to this genus, you can use this key to help you narrow down your search to species:
1: Forewing gray-brown, with a black or brown streak in the middle of each forewing; hindwing pink with an eyespot that is divided in half. The thorax is gray with darker inner bell-shape NOT lined in white… Smerinthus jamaicensis
1’: Forewing grayer toward the body, turning browner on the outer edges, hindwing pink with single eyespot. The thorax is gray with darker inner bell-shape lined in white … Smerinthus cerisyi
Species List:
Smerinthus jamaicensis
Smerinthus cerisyi
Smerinthus saliceti
Smerinthus ophthalmica
Smerinthus astarte
The gallery below shows photos of select species in the genus.
Type specimen: Sphinx (Smerinthus) ocellata - Linnaeus, 1758
Synonyms: N/A
General Information: These are gray moths with various amounts of forewing maculation. The hindwings are often brightly colored with fake eyespots.
If you have narrowed something down to this genus, you can use this key to help you narrow down your search to species:
1: Forewing gray-brown, with a black or brown streak in the middle of each forewing; hindwing pink with an eyespot that is divided in half. The thorax is gray with darker inner bell-shape NOT lined in white… Smerinthus jamaicensis
1’: Forewing grayer toward the body, turning browner on the outer edges, hindwing pink with single eyespot. The thorax is gray with darker inner bell-shape lined in white … Smerinthus cerisyi
Species List:
Smerinthus jamaicensis
Smerinthus cerisyi
Smerinthus saliceti
Smerinthus ophthalmica
Smerinthus astarte
The gallery below shows photos of select species in the genus.