Abbott’s sphinx

(Sphecodina abbottii)

Abbott’s sphinx
Photo by Molly and Robert Power
  Hodges #

7870

 
 
Conservation Status
  IUCN Red List

not listed

 
  NatureServe

N5 - Secure

SNR - Unranked

 
  Minnesota

not listed

 
           
           
           
 
Description
 
 

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 1316 to 1916 (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.

 
     
 

Size

 
 

Total length: 1316 to 1916 (30 to 40 mm)

Wingspan: 2 to 2¾ (51 to 70 mm)

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat and Hosts
 
 

Fields, woodlands, and forest edges

Grapevines and Virginia creeper

 
     
 
Biology
 
 

Season

 
 

One generation per year: Early May to early August

 
     
 

Behavior

 
 

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.

 
     
 

Life Cycle

 
 

 

 
     
 

Larva Hosts

 
 

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

 
     
 

Adult Food

 
 

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

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

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

 
  7/21/2023      
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

 

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
 

Order

Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)  
 

Superfamily

Bombycoidea (hawk, sphinx, emperor, and allied moths)  
 

Family

Sphingidae (sphinx moths)  
 

Subfamily

Macroglossinae  
 

Tribe

Macroglossini  
 

Subtribe

Macroglossina  
 

Genus

Sphecodina  
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

 

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

Abbott’s sphinx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Costal margin

The leading edge of the forewing of insects.

 

Instar

The developmental stage of arthropods between each molt; in insects, the developmental stage of the larvae or nymph.

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

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Christine Stickland

 
 

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  
 

Molly and Robert Power

 
 

Abbott's sphinx caterpillar

There's a cyclops in our woods!!

  Abbott’s sphinx  
           
    Abbott’s sphinx      
           
 
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Other Videos
 
  Abbott's Sphinx (Sphecodina abbottii)
Carl Barrentine
 
   
 
About

Jun 7, 2013

This Abbott's Sphinx Moth (Sphenodina abbottii) warms-up in preparation for flight. Captured at the Turtle River State Park, North Dakota (06 June 2013) and photographed on 07 June 2013.

 
  Abbott's Sphinx Moth (Sphingidae: Sphecodina abbottii) Dorsal View, Warming-up
Carl Barrentine
 
   
 
About

May 15, 2012

Photographed at the Turtle River State Park, North Dakota (15 May 2012).

 
  Abbott's sphinx caterpillar (Sphecodina abbottii)
xojulia295ox
 
   
 
About

Jun 6, 2022

Thrashing anti-predator behavior

 
  Abbotts Sphinx
S&K Wildflower Rescue Wildlife Habitat
 
   
 
About

Jul 6, 2019

ou never know what you are going to find in the garden these days. A first for us, an Abbott's Sphinx Moth caterpillar.

 

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this insect.

 
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Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Be sure to include a location.
 
  Christine Stickland
7/20/2023

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?

Abbott’s sphinx

 
  John Valo
7/21/2023

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.

 
  Molly and Robert Power
7/3/2022

Location: Albany, MN

There's a cyclops in our woods!!

Abbott’s sphinx

 
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
 

 

 

 

 

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Created: 7/14/2022

Last Updated:

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