434 



The Moths and Buttertiies 



Best known of all the hawk-moths, both in larval and adult stage, are 

 the five-spotted sphinges, the tomato- and tobacco-worm moths, Phlege- 

 thontius quinquemaciilata (celcus) and P. sexta {Carolina) (PI. VIII, Fig. 3), 



Fig. 623. — Larva of Plwhis achemon. (After Soulc; natural size.) 



Quinquemaciilata is the commoner in the north, sexia in the south; in both 

 the larva (Figs. 620 and 621) is green with oblique white stripes on the .side 

 and a long sharp caudal horn, and feeds on tomato-, tobacco-, and potato- 

 leaves or jimson-weed. The horn of sexta is red, 

 that of quinquemaciilata green or blue-black. 

 The pupffi are long and slender and dark 

 brown (green at first), and are often found when 

 plowing or digging up fields in which these plants 

 have been grown. The moth of P. quinqucniaculata 

 has ashy-gray wings, with zigzag markings, while 

 the wings of sexta arc not thus marked. The 

 great pandorus sphin.x, Phohis (Philampelus) 

 pandorus (PI. I, Fig. i), found in the eastern 

 and central states, is one of the most beautiful 

 of all moths. The larvae feed on grape-vines 

 and Virginia creeper, and, measuring four inches 

 long when full-grown, are rich reddi.sh brown 

 with five conspicuous cream-colored spots along 

 Fig. 624. — Crape - vine each side; a shining black eye-like tubercle takes 

 sphinx - moth, ■^'"/"•'<'- (he place of a caudal horn. It pupates under- 

 phaga myron. (Natural ' a \ -.i 1 • 



size.) ground. P. achemon (rig. 622), with markings 



miKli like pandorus, but with strong ros)' color- 

 ation instead of greenish, has a larva which also feeds on grape and Vir- 

 gina creeper and may be recognized by its six (instead of five) lateral 

 cream-colored blotches. 



