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.
Comments: NULL
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 706 verified sightings
Observation date: Mar 23, 2019
Submitted by: Jackson84
Region: Bay County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Mar 24, 2019
Observation date: Mar 17, 2019
Submitted by: ktodette
Region: Fort Bend County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 17, 2019
Observation date: Mar 10, 2019
Submitted by: SwampMama2004
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Mar 16, 2019
Observation date: Oct 21, 2018
Submitted by: Helen Cunningham
Region: Texas, Medina County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 05, 2019
Observation date: Mar 04, 2019
Submitted by: Helen Cunningham
Region: Texas, Medina County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 05, 2019
Observation date: Jun 19, 2018
Submitted by: Rose A. Payne
Region: Bibb County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Mar 02, 2019
Observation date: Sep 10, 2017
Submitted by: Crashhn21
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Feb 14, 2019
Observation date: Jan 25, 2019
Submitted by: Marleybay
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 25, 2019
Observation date: Nov 06, 2018
Submitted by: Carmen Ferreiro
Region: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Dec 08, 2018
Observation date: Aug 11, 2016
Submitted by: HSVGardenGirl
Region: Saline County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Dec 04, 2018
Observation date: Sep 13, 2018
Submitted by: katiephope
Region: Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 21, 2018
Observation date: Aug 11, 2018
Submitted by: molsen
Region: Georgia, Taliaferro County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 16, 2018
Observation date: Oct 12, 2018
Submitted by: sedges
Region: Georgia, Stephens County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 15, 2018
Observation date: Nov 03, 2018
Submitted by: Crystal TV11
Region: Dallas County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 13, 2018
Observation date: Nov 12, 2018
Submitted by: Susanrodisjones
Region: Manatee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 13, 2018
Observation date: Aug 23, 2018
Submitted by: Ajb524
Region: Barrow County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 02, 2018
Observation date: Aug 26, 2018
Submitted by: momsavang
Region: Harris County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Nov 02, 2018
Observation date: Oct 27, 2018
Submitted by: jennifer_crowley
Region: Cherokee County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 31, 2018
Observation date: Jan 23, 2015
Submitted by: Greg Braun
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 21, 2018
Observation date: Oct 20, 2018
Submitted by: Eurydice
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 20, 2018
Observation date: Oct 12, 2018
Submitted by: bioforce
Region: Pinellas County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 15, 2018
Observation date: Oct 14, 2018
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 15, 2018
Observation date: Oct 11, 2018
Submitted by: JaquesDawkins
Region: Caddo Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 14, 2018
Observation date: Oct 12, 2018
Submitted by: Dgedey
Region: Brazos County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 14, 2018
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