Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

  Sighting 930819

Laurel sphinx
Sphinx kalmiae

Observation date: September 22, 2013
Submitted by: mqui129
Specimen type: Photograph
Observation notes: Observed and photographed by Marian Quinn, regional park ranger at Wolf's Hollow County Park, Chester Co PA, USA. First noticed at 16:00 traveling in straight, deliberate, steady, undulating fashion across uneven gravel surface. Walked onto leaf placed in path whereupon caterpillar was removed from risk of vehicular strike and placed on soil beneath nearby trumpeter bush. Caterpillar resumed travel but much more slowly and less directly. Stopped to explore two blades of grass, traversed a twig, did not seem determined to be somewhere else or get somewhere as when traversing gravel lot. Rain previous evening. Temps in low 70s, partly cloudy skies at time of sighting. Source location, food needs/sources not known at time of sighting.
Status: Resident
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: September 23, 2013
Coordinator notes: None.
Checklist region(s): United States, Pennsylvania, Chester County