SPHINGIDAE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

sphecodina abbottii

(Swainson, 1821)

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Common Name(s): Abbott’s Sphinx
​

Ecology and Life History: This moth flies from May to July in the Northeastern USA. In the South, it can be found as early as March. This species is highly attracted to light, with both sexes coming to it with regularity. Males are more common at light than females. This species is not sexually dimorphic with males and females having the same markings. Females are slightly larger, rounder, and rest with their abdomens flat. Males rest with the tip of their abdomen upturned. Eggs are laid singly on the surfaces of leaves. Larvae feed singly. First instar larvae chew small holes from the underside of their hostplant leaves. They rest on the undersides of leaves near their chew-holes. Older larvae rest on the bark of their host, or nearby on trees, fences, or other objects. Final instar larvae have two forms, a green, grape-mimic form and a brown, bark-mimic form.

Habitat and Searching for Larvae: This species feeds on Vitaceous vines with Vitis and Parthenocissus quinquefolia being favorites. This species is usually never out of reach. They tend to prefer vines sprawling over trees, fences, or other objects. If a bit of the vine extends outward, away from the object and is not surrounded by anything, that is a good place to start searching. Larvae like to hide underneath leaves, particularly as younger instars. This species inhabits fields, forest edges, parks, yards, wetlands, and other areas where its hostplants are prevalent. It can be incredibly common in parks and yards in the right areas. Larvae can be found from June to September in the Northeast, and from May to November farther south. UV light is a great method to find this larva at night as they fluoresce brightly. The brown form final instar doesn’t fluoresce as brightly, but it is noticeable under a UV light.

Rearing Notes: Obtaining eggs from this species is difficult. It is likely that a flight cage with ample hostplant is needed. Placing a female in a paper bag did not yield any eggs. This species does quite well on most Vitaceous vines. Vitis and Parthenocissus quinquefolia have been used in the lab with great success. It is likely they will also consume Ampelopsis. This species is not prone to disease in captivity. They are easy to rear, especially in low-quantity in tupperware. Larger quantities of larvae can be housed together, but adequate ventilation must be provided. In a sleeve, many larvae can be reared together without problems. Final instar larvae should be removed to pupate. Pupation can be achieved by using the paper towel method (outlined in the general information tab) or by providing loose soil media to bury into.

Host plants:
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Picture
(C) Teá Montagna
Picture
Picture
Adult description: 
This is an incredibly beautiful and distinctive moth. It is medium sized, forewings 27-31mm in length (1). The forewings are brown and resemble bark, the edges of the forewing are deeply scalloped. The thorax color is gray, and the antennae are bright yellow. The hindwings are yellow, with a black basal edge. The edges of the hindwing are also scalloped.

Larval description:
L5:  The larva is just as beautiful and distinctive as the adult moth. There are two main forms, a brown, grape bark mimic form and a brown green splotched form. The green splotched form resembles a bunch of grapes. The horn is absent in the final instar and resembles an eyespot.
The gallery to the left contains photos of Sphecodina abbottii 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 Sphecodina abbottii 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) Ken Childs
(C) Ken Childs
(C) Blaine Rothauser
(C) Teá Montagna
(C) Teá Montagna
(C) Maya Shikhman
(C) Teá Montagna
(C) Teá Montagna
(C) Teá Montagna
L5 (C) Blaine Rothauser
L2 (C) Tom Murray
L3 (C) Tom Murray
L3 (C) Tom Murray
L4 (C) Tom Murray
L5 (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L5 (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L5 - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L5 - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L5 - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L5 - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L5 - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L5 - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L4 - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L5 - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L5 - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L3 - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L4 - (C) Teá Montagna
Pupa - (C) Teá Montagna
Pupa - (C) Teá Montagna
Pupa - (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
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
Pupa (C) Teá Montagna
Pupa (C) Teá Montagna
Pupa (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 clarkiae
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
Smerinthus astarte
Smerinthus ophthalmica

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
      • 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 cubensis
        • 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 clarkiae
        • 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 >
        • Complex: strigilis-carteri >
          • Protambulyx strigilis
          • Protambulyx carteri
      • Smerinthus >
        • Smerinthus jamaicensis
        • Smerinthus cerisyi
        • Smerinthus astarte
        • Smerinthus ophthalmica
    • 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
        • Complex: gordius-poecila >
          • Sphinx poecila
          • Sphinx gordius
      • Hyloicus >
        • Hyloicus pinastri
  • Final Instar Larva Key
  • Hostplant Index
  • Parasitoids and Predators
  • Range
  • General Information
  • Sources and Acknowledgements
  • Other Resources
    • Sphingidae Publication Library
  • Store
  • Donations