434 



The Moths and Butterflies 



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 quinquemaculata (celeus) and P. sexta (Carolina) (PI. VIII, Fig. 3). 



FIG. 623. Larva of Pholus achemon. (After Soule; natural size.) 



Quinquemaculata is the commoner in the north, sexta 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 quinquemaculata green or blue-black. 

 The pupae 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. quinquemaculata 

 has ashy-gray wings, with zigzag markings, while 

 the wings of sexta are not thus marked. The 

 great pandorus sphinx, Pholus (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 reddish brown 

 with five conspicuous cream-colored spots along 

 each side; a shining black eye-like tubercle takes 

 the place of a caudal horn. It pupates under- 

 ground. P. achemon (Fig. 622), with markings 

 much like pandorus, but with strong rosy 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. 



FIG. 624. Grape - vine 

 sphinx - moth, Ampelo- 

 phaga myron. (Natural 

 size.) 



