FARMERS’ 
BULLETIN 
Wasuinaton, D. C. 705 FrBruary 16, 1916 
Contribution from the Bureau of Entomology, L. O. Howard, Chief. 
THE CATALPA SPHINX.: 
By L. O. Howarp and F. H. CHrrreNDEN. 
INTRODUCTION. 
Our native species of catalpa, the common or eastern catalpa? and 
the hardy or western species,? are comparatively free from insect 
attack. Such common shade-tree pests as the bagworm* and fall 
webworm® occasionaliy feed upon the leaves, but apparently do so 
only in the absence of food more palatable to them. There is one 
insect, however, the larva or caterpillar of the catalpa sphinx (fig. 1, 
b, c, e, f, A),1 which feeds normally and exclusively on the foliage of 
these trees and in some seasons does very considerable injury, often 
completely stripping the leaves from individual trees and sometimes 
from an entire grove. (Fig. 2.) Owing doubtless to the increased 
planting of these trees outside the regions in which they are found in 
the wild state, this insect has extended its natural range, and its 
injury is more widespread now than formerly. 
e 
DESCRIPTION. 
The catalpa sphinx in its active feeding stage is a caterpillar fully 
8 inches in length. It is very variable in color, there being a light 
and a dark form, as in the case of some related species. The prevail- 
ing colors are yellow and black, and this, combined with the large 
size of the insect, makes it a conspicuous object on infested trees. 
The complete life history by stages or periods of growth is well illus- 
trated in figure 1. 
1Ceratomia catalpae Bdvy.; order Lepidoptera, family Sphingidae. 2 Catalpa catalpa. 
8 Catalpa speciosa. + Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis Haw. * Hyphantria cunea Dru. 
Novre.—This bulletin is of interest throughout the United States wherever catalpa trees 
occur. 
15606°—Bull. T05—16 
