Ceratomia undulosa
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Ceratomia undulosa, the waved sphinx, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by Francis Walker in 1856.[1] Also known as the "Scorpion Moth" (See "Biology" Below").Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
Distribution
It is found in the United States, and southern Canada, east of the Rocky Mountains. Adult moths are strictly nocturnal, hiding away as dawn approaches (Fullard & Napoleone 2001).
Description
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Male
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Male underside
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Female
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Female underside
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Caterpillar
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Biology
Recorded food plants of the larvae include ash (Fraxinus), privet (Ligustrum), oak (Quercus), hawthorn (Crataegus) and fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus).Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
When ready, larvae dig underground to pupate.
The most common predator is the Guiana Striped Scorpion, which feasts on the moth's egg clusters. The common proximity of the two species, sometimes showing up as the moth lays her eggs, has resulted in erroneous conclusions that the moths give birth to the scorpions, and the resultant name "Scorpion Moth."Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
Subspecies
- Ceratomia undulosa undulosa (from Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia west to eastern Alberta and Maine to Florida west to the eastern Great Plains and south to Florida, the Gulf Coast and Texas)
- Ceratomia undulosa polingi Clark, 1929 (Mexico)
References
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External links
- "Waved sphinx (Ceratomia undulosa)". Moths of North America. U.S. Geological Survey Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center. Archived December 7, 2005.
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