Someday, this tersa sphinx caterpillar will turn into a terrifying fighter jet like moth. Jun 17, 2013 - Tersa Sphinx Moth Caterpillar Silver Ridge, NJ 9/04/10 Some, especially the hornworms, have distinctive horns at the end of the body. Tersa Sphinx Caterpillar (Xylophanes tersa) Another instar (brown) of the Tersa Sphinx caterpillar . ... A nearby stand of catalpa trees is kept pruned so that the owners can easily reach catalpa sphinx moth caterpillars that use the leaves as their larval food source. Since the caterpillar was found on the driveway, we suspect it is getting ready to pupate and it was searching for a … Common Name: Tersa Sphinx Ecology and Life History: This moth is active throughout the growing season, and can be found on the wing from May to November. Hindwing upperside is dark brown with a band of whitish wedge-shaped marks. The upperside of the Tersa Sphinx moth's forewing is pale brown with lavender-gray at the base, with dark brown lines. These moths are comprised of a large and diverse group of heavy bodied, sometimes colorful moths. Every caterpillar requires a host plant in order to become a butterfly or moth. Probably Tersa Sphinx Moth Larvae - Xylophanes tersa Tersa sphinx Beautiful moth Tersa Shhinx - Xylophanes tersa Tersa Sphinx Tersa Sphinx Looks like Tersa Sphinx, Xylophanes tersa Aha! . Source(s): https://shrinke.im/a9oOo. After questions and pictures, we identified the culprits as Tersa sphinx larva. Sphinx moth caterpillars are large, have a … The Tersa Sphinx is angular and hairy, with a pointed abdomen. A whitish line is positioned under the eyespots. Territorial Area Map (Visual Reference Guide) The map below showcases (in blue) the states and territories of North America where the Tersa Sphinx Moth may be found (but is not limited to). ... Caterpillar Hosts: Smooth buttonplant (Spermacoce glabra), starclusters (Pentas species), Borreria, Catalpa, and Manettia species. These caterpillars are snake mimics with a realistic pair of light-ringed eyespots on … A whitish line is positioned under the eyespots. The upperside of the hindwing is dark brown with a band of whitish, wedge-shaped marks. Tersa Sphinx Caterpillar. Habitat . SIZE: Adult wingspan up to 5 1/2″, caterpillar … They look a bit like little snakes. Tersa Sphinx Caterpillar | August 7 These are beautiful moths… Yup, the dreaded tomato hornworm is actually the larva of a sphinx moth. Smooth buttonplant (Spermacoce glabra), starclusters (Pentas species), Borreria, Catalpa, and Manettia species. Sphinx moth caterpillars vary in color and shape, depending on the species, but most have smooth skin. Habitat: Not reported. The upperside of the forewing is pale brown with lavender-gray at the base, with dark brown lines. The caterpillars for Tersa Sphinx moths have false eye spots. Adults feed at sunset taking nectar from deep-throated flowers such as Pentas species; while the Adult moth feeds on Honeysuckle flowers. Tersa Sphinx Caterpillar: Pentas' leaves will grow back. The Tersa Sphinx moth is found in gardens and open areas. Food It is close kin to the tomato hornworm caterpillar. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Texas Butterflies | About | Site Map | Contact | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy, Copyright © 2020 ButterfliesAtHome.com • All Rights Reserved. Tersa Sphinx moths are well known for their migrations, which can bring small numbers far north of the usual range. Tersa Sphinx Caterpillar. Hyles lineata, also known as the white-lined sphinx, is a moth of the family Sphingidae.They are sometimes erroneously referred to as the hummingbird moth because of their bird-like size (2-3 inch wingspan) and flight patterns.. As caterpillars, they have a wide range of color phenotypes but show consistent adult coloration. Rustic sphinx moth Manduca rustica is native to the southeastern United States. Massachusetts south to south Florida; west to Nebraska, New Mexico, and southern Arizona; south through Mexico, the West Indies, and Central America to Argentina. A hairy brown body may have undertones of green or yellow. One brood in the north from May-October, several broods in Florida and Louisiana from February-November. Nectar from flowers including honeysuckle (Lonicera). Lepidopterology video. Anonymous. 1 decade ago. A: It’s the caterpillar of a tersa sphinx moth. Both are well known to quickly consume plant leaves when the caterpillar has grown large. Obviously, based on our caterpillar find, they at least attempt to. It was just one of those “ at the right place ” s... As tersa Sphinx is angular and hairy, with dark brown lines is actually the of! Caterpillars are large, have a … After questions and pictures, we identified the as... 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