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
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 413 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 01, 2017
Submitted by: Ryan84
Region: Lynchburg, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 13, 2019
Observation date: Jul 04, 2018
Submitted by: Pecarican
Region: Brunswick County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Mar 03, 2019
Observation date: Aug 22, 2018
Submitted by: Quivira NWR
Region: Stafford County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Feb 05, 2019
Observation date: Sep 09, 2018
Submitted by: kellervonstein
Region: La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Dec 22, 2018
Observation date: Aug 26, 2018
Submitted by: plawryniuk
Region: Virginia, United States, York County
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 13, 2018
Observation date: Oct 04, 2018
Submitted by: treichard
Region: Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 09, 2018
Observation date: Aug 28, 2018
Submitted by: sedges
Region: Georgia, Stephens County, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Nov 04, 2018
Observation date: Aug 16, 2018
Submitted by: momsavang
Region: Muscogee County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Nov 02, 2018
Observation date: Oct 05, 2018
Submitted by: pmrules21
Region: Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 31, 2018
Observation date: Aug 17, 2018
Submitted by: treichard
Region: Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 20, 2018
Observation date: Jul 18, 2018
Submitted by: christiantrwllg...
Region: Jersey County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 18, 2018
Observation date: Sep 02, 2018
Submitted by: L Reid
Region: Winona County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Oct 04, 2018
Observation date: Sep 09, 2018
Submitted by: kellervonstein
Region: La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: BGilley
Verified date: Sep 13, 2018
Observation date: Aug 11, 2018
Submitted by: Bkripto
Region: Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 08, 2018
Observation date: Aug 11, 2018
Submitted by: Bkripto
Region: Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 08, 2018
Observation date: Sep 02, 2018
Submitted by: Hilliard
Region: Fannin County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 02, 2018
Observation date: Aug 30, 2018
Submitted by: dlb1117
Region: Forrest County, Mississippi, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 31, 2018
Observation date: Aug 19, 2018
Submitted by: edwardjanoski
Region: Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 21, 2018
Observation date: Aug 18, 2018
Submitted by: Jacksenzig
Region: Juneau County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Aug 19, 2018
Observation date: Jun 08, 2018
Submitted by: paul_dewaard
Region: Georgia, Towns County, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Aug 13, 2018
Observation date: Jul 02, 2018
Submitted by: Jonathan Clark
Region: La Salle Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 04, 2018
Observation date: Jul 17, 2018
Submitted by: pantos
Region: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 28, 2018
Observation date: Jun 11, 2018
Submitted by: BrandonH
Region: Venango County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 12, 2018
Observation date: Sep 24, 2016
Submitted by: Ehck9
Region: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 07, 2018
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