Abbott’s sphinx

not listed

N5 - Secure

SNR - Unranked

not listed

Abbott’s sphinx is a large moth but a small sphinx moth. It occurs in the United States and southern Canada east of the Great Plains. It is not uncommon in Minnesota. It is found in fields and woodlands, and at forest edges. Larvae are active day and night. Adults are active at night, beginning at dusk.

Adults are 13⁄16″ to 19⁄16″ (30 to 40 mm) in length and have a 2″ to 2¾″ (51 to 70 mm) wingspan.

The forewing is long with a smooth leading edge (costal margin) and a deeply scalloped outer margin. The inner margin is straight at the base, concave just near the outer margin. The upper side is a bark-like, longitudinally streaked pattern of violet-gray, dark brown, light brown, black, and tan. On each forewing there is a small, black, pale-bordered, discal spot. The basal and postmedial areas are dark, the median area is lighter. The hindwing is yellow at the base and along the leading and inner margins. At the tip of the abdomen there is a broad, three-pronged, brush of scales (caudal tuft).

The caterpillar is up to 3″ (7.5 cm) long. Middle stage (instar) caterpillars are whitish to bluish-green. In place of the horn found on other sphinx caterpillars, there is a raised orange knob on the eighth abdominal segment (A8). Final instar caterpillars come in two color forms. The brown color form has longitudinal streaks of light and dark brown mimicking the color of a woody vine. The green form has on each abdominal segment a large, pale green, saddle-shaped spot on the upper side and a similar smaller spot on each side. The pattern is said to mimic a bunch of unripe grapes. Both forms have a black, raised, eye-like knob on A8 complete with a small white spot mimicking reflected light.

Total length: 13⁄16″ to 19⁄16″ (30 to 40 mm)

Wingspan: 2″ to 2¾″ (51 to 70 mm)

Fields, woodlands, and forest edges

Grapevines and Virginia creeper

One generation per year: Early May to early August

The brown form caterpillar feeds at night and rests on a woody vine during the day. The green form caterpillar feeds day and night, and rests close to foliage.

The adult is active at night, beginning at dusk, and will come to lights. During the day it rests on bark with its abdomen raised. With its cryptic coloration, it looks like a broken branch.

In Minnesota, only grapevines (Vitis spp.) and Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus spp.). In other areas, also peppervine (Ampelopsis spp.).

Flower nectar, tree sap flows, dung, and carrion.

Sources

4, 21, 24, 27, 29, 30, 75, 82.

found this caterpillar on my back porch door step under the bird feeder. Put him/her next to new tomato plant and he/she crawled right up. What should I feed this thing?

Abbott's sphinx caterpillar

There's a cyclops in our woods!!

Location: McCleod County

along the woods edge. So cool!!!

Location: Old Orchard Beach, Maine

found this caterpillar on my back porch door step under the bird feeder. Put him/her next to new tomato plant and he/she crawled right up. What should I feed this thing?

According to HOSTS (from HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants, Natural History Museum, the hosts for this caterpillar are

Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper)

Parthenocissus tricuspidata (Japanese creeper)

Vitis riparia (wild grape)

Vitis vinifera (wine grape)

According to BugGuide.net, another host is

Ampelopsis glandulosa (porcelain berry)

One of these plants is probably in your area, hopefully near where you found the caterpillar. If so, the caterpillar's best chance to reach the next stage of life is on one of these plants.

Location: Albany, MN

There's a cyclops in our woods!!