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Smerinthus cerisyi
Smerinthus cerisyi is a species of moth in the Sphinx moth family, Sphingidae. During a flight, the temperature of the moth's body can exceed 40°C. Egg development varies greatly, from 3 to 21 days. The moth comes from the genus Smerinthus and belongs to the family Sphingidae (sphinxes). Smerinthus cerisyi was described by Kirby in 1837. Smerinthus cerisyi, a medium-sized (wingspan 60-85 mm) moth relatively short with broad wings. The head is quite small with reduced mouthparts, antennae narrow groove-shaped. The front wings are slightly lobed. The chest is black in the middle, gray on the sides, abdomen gray. The front wings are brown, with several narrow, light and dark transverse bands. Hind wings are mostly pink, close to the rear with a large, round, black eye with a blue ring around it. The larva is bluish green with a yellow oblique stripes on the sides and the horn on the abdomen is green and yellow. The adult moths have reduced mouthparts and do not take nourishment. Larvae feed on willows, preferably the Salix sp. and Poplar trees. Found in most of the Northern US and Canada, south to Arizona and California. It is only found in the mountains of the South. Sources: http://no.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smerinthu... http://nl.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smerinthu... http://vi.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smerinthu...
Found in most of the Northern US and Canada, south to Arizona and California. It is only found in the mountains of the South. Sources: http://no.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smerinthu... http://nl.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smerinthu... http://vi.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smerinthu...
Very calm, stout, curious-looking moth. Very Soft! This can be distinguished from other moths of this type because Cerisyi does not have a complete "U" on the tip of the forewing. Same as spotting: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/107...
Just a too funny conversation to miss...
J: Does anyone know why it is a One-Eyed Sphinx Moth when it has two eyes?
bayucca's stupid answer: One eye on each wing ;-)...
Thanks Carol! They really grow on you, don't they?! I can't wait to see another one! ^_^
Just for the others:
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/859...
You already have seen this one ;-)...
There is one criteria to easily exclude Jamaicensis: according to Bill Oehlke, the Master of Saturniidae and a wellknown expert on Sphingidae: "Also note the complete (i.e. outer margin to outer margin) off-white arc just below the forewing apex. In S. cerisyi the lower portion of the arc does not return to the outer margin."
In Jamaica you can see a complete and strong white "U", from margin to margin;
http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/sjamaic...
So I am still confident with One-eyed Sphinx
Unfortunately, I have found an almost perfectly similar species, and I am now leaning toward it. Everyone, please look at these links and see which one you think is the closest match to my photo. Thanks so much!
One-eyed links:
http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.ed...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smerinthus_...
Twin-spotted links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smerinthus_...
Bayucca,
Thanks for your wonderful help. I have entered as much information as I can from many resources. Thanks for making everything easier to understand. This is my favorite moth, and I am so happy to know all of this information now! Thanks again!
If you look very carefully you will see a little triangle with a black stripe between the forewing and the body. This is part of the hindwing and would be a little notch/adnex of the eyespot which is directly following, but covered from the forewing. And if you look even more carefully and have some phantasy, you may see some pinkish shine. These are the only parts of the hindwing you can see in your shot.
The pink area and the eye spot are covered by the forewing! They are on the hindwings under the forewing.
@Bayucca: Thanks, but why does my moth have no pink at all?
Here is your link (One-Eyed Sphinx):
http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.ed...
Here is a link for Walnut Sphinx:
http://www.insectidentification.org/inse...
Yes, indeed. I did not find any information why it is called this one. There are sometimes books about the names of animals. And I was just joking...
Spotted on May 15, 2010
Submitted on Jan 22, 2012
+2
