Catalpa sphinx
Ceratomia catalpae (Boisduval, 1875)
Family: Sphingidae
Subfamily: Sphinginae
Identification: Forewing is yellowish brown with no white markings and indistinct black lines and dashes. Cell spot is gray with a black outline. Hindwing is yellowish brown with obscure lines.
Wing Span: 2 9/16 - 3 3/4 inches (6.5 - 9.5 cm).
Life History: Adult moths fly at night. Females lay large clusters of eggs on the underside of host leaves or smaller clusters on twigs and branches. Young caterpillars feed together in groups; older ones feed singly. Fully-grown caterpillars crawl down the tree trunk to pupate and overwinter in chambers dug 2-3 inches into the soil. Caterpillars are often parasitized by a wasp, Apanteles congregatus, which lays its eggs inside the caterpillar. The caterpillar eventually dies as the wasp larvae feed inside it.
Flight: . Two flights from May-September.
Caterpillar Hosts: Catalpa species in the Bignoniaceae family.
Adult Food: Adults probably do not feed.
Habitat: Deciduous woodlands and suburban plantings.
Range: Eastern states from Maine west to Iowa; south to Florida, the Gulf States, and Texas. Also Colorado and Nebraska. Comment: Caterpillars are used as fish bait in the Southeast.
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: During outbreaks, caterpillars can defoliate catalpa trees.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 512 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 15, 2023
Submitted by: gjkoppel
Region: Highland County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 05, 2024
Observation date: Aug 17, 2024
Submitted by: Ozark_Bill
Region: Washington County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: Ozark_Bill
Verified date: Sep 17, 2024
Observation date: Sep 12, 2024
Submitted by: KABerry
Region: Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 14, 2024
Observation date: Aug 30, 2024
Submitted by: NNing
Region: Geauga County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 31, 2024
Observation date: Jul 03, 2024
Submitted by: DanyelleKate
Region: Staunton, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 04, 2024
Observation date: Jun 05, 2024
Submitted by: longstrangetrip
Region: Dorchester County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 13, 2024
Observation date: May 09, 2024
Submitted by: Mark Vass
Region: Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 10, 2024
Observation date: Aug 22, 2019
Submitted by: Sharonf1997
Region: Fleming County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 27, 2023
Observation date: Aug 26, 2023
Submitted by: Steven Wilson
Region: Fayette County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 26, 2023
Observation date: Jul 29, 2023
Submitted by: Shane Miller
Region: Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 01, 2023
Observation date: Sep 19, 2021
Submitted by: Susan McSwain
Region: Nelson County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 15, 2023
Observation date: Jun 10, 2023
Submitted by: JamieLynn
Region: Aiken County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jun 11, 2023
Observation date: Nov 03, 2015
Submitted by: Bogfinder
Region: Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Mar 30, 2023
Observation date: Sep 28, 2014
Submitted by: jnchandler
Region: Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Mar 18, 2023
Observation date: Jul 23, 2016
Submitted by: thanos15084
Region: United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Feb 04, 2023
Observation date: Jul 21, 2016
Submitted by: Beccaplatt
Region: United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Feb 04, 2023
Observation date: Jul 19, 2016
Submitted by: akoparrell
Region: United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Feb 04, 2023
Observation date: Jul 15, 2016
Submitted by: pcard74
Region: United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Feb 04, 2023
Observation date: Aug 05, 2016
Submitted by: Nls
Region: United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 29, 2023
Observation date: Jun 06, 2016
Submitted by: KissMyBeagleToo
Region: United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 28, 2023
Observation date: Sep 02, 2016
Submitted by: Dave Webb
Region: Harford County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jan 26, 2023
Observation date: Aug 24, 2022
Submitted by: Dave Webb
Region: Charles County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jan 06, 2023
Observation date: Jul 30, 2017
Submitted by: LonnieMiller
Region: Henry County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: jamesdurbin
Verified date: Sep 16, 2022
Observation date: Aug 01, 2020
Submitted by: Eric Wood
Region: Boone County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: jamesdurbin
Verified date: Sep 14, 2022
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