Tersa Sphinx
Xylophanes tersa (Linnaeus, 1771)
Family: Sphingidae
Subfamily: Macroglossinae
Identification: Forewing upperside is pale brown with lavender-gray at the base and dark brown lengthwise lines throughout. Hindwing upperside is dark brown with a band of whitish wedge-shaped marks.
Wing Span: 2 3/8 - 3 1/8 inches (6 - 8 cm).
Life History: Adults begin feeding at sunset.
Flight: . One brood in the north from May-October, several broods in Florida and Louisiana from February-November.
Caterpillar Hosts: Smooth buttonplant (Spermacoce glabra), starclusters (Pentas species), Borreria, Catalpa, and Manettia species.
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including honeysuckle (Lonicera).
Habitat: Not reported.
Range: Massachusetts south to south Florida; west to Nebraska, New Mexico, and southern Arizona; south through Mexico, the West Indies, and Central America to Argentina.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 913 verified sightings
Observation date: Nov 13, 2021
Submitted by: JamesD2021
Region: St. James Parish, Jamaica
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 31, 2023
Observation date: Oct 21, 2016
Submitted by: Joe Lafferty
Region: United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 28, 2023
Observation date: Oct 03, 2016
Submitted by: michaeljc57
Region: United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 28, 2023
Observation date: Jan 11, 2015
Submitted by: mikeakresh
Region: The Bahamas
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 28, 2023
Observation date: Mar 20, 2014
Submitted by: mikeakresh
Region: The Bahamas
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 28, 2023
Observation date: Sep 18, 2016
Submitted by: Gr8pmpkn
Region: United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 27, 2023
Observation date: Aug 11, 2016
Submitted by: Marcela GB
Region: United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 27, 2023
Observation date: Jun 26, 2016
Submitted by: Tim Norriss
Region: Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 23, 2023
Observation date: Dec 14, 2022
Submitted by: lesliecapozzi
Region: Sarasota County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Dec 15, 2022
Observation date: Aug 26, 2016
Submitted by: Charles_Mills
Region: Hempstead County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: owlbyr
Verified date: Nov 17, 2022
Observation date: Nov 09, 2022
Submitted by: devont.martin
Region: Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 10, 2022
Observation date: Nov 06, 2022
Submitted by: hunter58
Region: Hernando County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Nov 06, 2022
Observation date: Nov 01, 2022
Submitted by: mramsay
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Nov 01, 2022
Observation date: Oct 22, 2022
Submitted by: Swhitehead
Region: Camden County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 26, 2022
Observation date: Oct 21, 2022
Submitted by: AngstyKiwi
Region: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 21, 2022
Observation date: Oct 14, 2022
Submitted by: Werty256
Region: Chatham County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Oct 15, 2022
Observation date: Oct 13, 2022
Submitted by: enneffe
Region: Horry County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 14, 2022
Observation date: Oct 06, 2022
Submitted by: bp24kel
Region: Texas, Kimble County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 13, 2022
Observation date: Oct 10, 2022
Submitted by: Ecooli
Region: Alachua County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 11, 2022
Observation date: Sep 14, 2022
Submitted by: hsmarshall
Region: Lauderdale County, Mississippi, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 06, 2022
Observation date: Oct 04, 2022
Submitted by: Bendrey
Region: Charlotte County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 04, 2022
Observation date: Sep 29, 2022
Submitted by: Ashlynzuess2
Region: Shelby County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 03, 2022
Observation date: Sep 14, 2022
Submitted by: Happy Tail
Region: Harris County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Sep 19, 2022
Observation date: Mar 30, 2022
Submitted by: Jamesransbottom
Region: Manatee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 19, 2022
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