Sphingidae 



This lovely hawkmoth, which is accounted quite rare in 

 localities, has been found very commonly at certain times in 

 western Pennsylvania. Its larva feeds upon the wild hydrangea, 

 which grows abundantly in deep wooded glens, along the 

 margin of brooks. The insect ranges from New England to the 

 mountains of the Carolinas and westward into the eastern border 

 of the Mississippi Valley. 



Genus SPHECODINA Blanchard 



The head is broad. The proboscis is nearly as long as the 

 body. The antennas are fusiform, with a recurved hook at the 

 tip. The body is broad, flattened beneath. The abdomen has a 

 pointed anal tuft, and the segments are adorned laterally with 

 prominent truncated tufts of coarse hairs. The wings in their 

 outline closely resemble those of the genus Amphion. Only one 

 species of the genus is known. 



(i) Sphecodina abbotti Swainson, Plate II, Fig. 19, $. 

 (Abbot's Sphinx.) 



This beautiful hawkmoth is found throughout the Eastern 

 States and southern Canada and ranges westward as far as Iowa 



and Kansas. The 

 larva feeds on the 

 Vitacece and is 

 not uncommon 

 o n Ampelopsis. 

 The caterpillar is 

 not provided with 

 an anal horn, but 

 has instead an 

 eye-like tubercle, 

 or boss, at the 

 anal extremity. 

 It has the habit, 

 when disturbed, 

 of throwing its 

 head violently 

 from side to side, a movement found in other sphingid larvae, 

 and also in some of the Ceratocampidce. 



Fig. 33. Larva and moth of S. abbotti. 

 (After Riley.) 



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