Pawpaw sphinx
Dolba hyloeus (Drury, 1773)
Family: Sphingidae
Subfamily: Sphinginae
Identification: Wings are dark brown with a dusting of white scales. Some moths have patches of reddish or yellowish brown on the wings.
Wing Span: 2 - 2 11/16 inches (5 - 6.8 cm).
Life History: The caterpillar has a horn at the end of its abdomen. Fully grown caterpillars pupate and overwinter in underground burrows.
Flight: . One flight from June-September, two flights from March-September in Florida and Louisiana.
Caterpillar Hosts: Pawpaw (Asimina triloba), littleleaf sweetfern (Myrica aspleniifolia), possum haw (Ilex decidua), and inkberry (I. glabra).
Adult Food: Nectar from deep-throated flowers including bouncing bet (Saponaria officinalis), Petunia, jasmine, and mimosa.
Habitat: Not reported.
Range: Maine south to Florida, west to Wisconsin, eastern Oklahoma, and South Texas.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 273 verified sightings
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/24-08-07_bsp-mo_ozb_0010-sphingidae-omphalocera_munroei.jpg?itok=FXefUVTK)
Observation date: Aug 07, 2024
Submitted by: Ozark_Bill
Region: St. Louis County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: Ozark_Bill
Verified date: Aug 07, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dscn3843_0.jpeg?itok=pE7Vc_3B)
Observation date: Jul 13, 2024
Submitted by: Elisabeth_Cassinari
Region: Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 24, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/pawpaw_sphinx_1.jpg?itok=OQ7UpT9T)
Observation date: May 10, 2023
Submitted by: Palmiera
Region: Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jan 23, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/7784-dolba_hyloeuspawpaw_sphinx_27_july_2023_imgp1417_2.jpg?itok=gbOXLOND)
Observation date: Jul 27, 2023
Submitted by: Sue Gregoire
Region: Schuyler County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Dec 01, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_5688.jpeg?itok=s1eRdmqk)
Observation date: Aug 12, 2023
Submitted by: Denver Priest
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 13, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/jj7784-dolba_hyloeusbrown_co.in_.jpg?itok=r96wVaSH)
Observation date: Jul 12, 2023
Submitted by: JMJaskula
Region: Brown County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 12, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/d7327a0d-aca1-478a-a27f-c986f60cd5ef.jpeg?itok=dJfpZFeo)
Observation date: Jul 31, 2023
Submitted by: Bsgagnon
Region: Harris County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 10, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/7784_dolba_hyloeus_-_pawpaw_sphinx_into_bg_berks_into_inat_pa_32_gb_chip_128_xx.jpg?itok=wmY5Plvr)
Observation date: Aug 07, 2009
Submitted by: Jim Eckert
Region: Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: Jim Eckert
Verified date: Apr 09, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/fcbb0023-a580-4cf1-804c-e25bbfd183a8.jpeg?itok=gQ8TVJO5)
Observation date: Aug 11, 2020
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 08, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20190731_091137.jpg?itok=gyXto-j_)
Observation date: Jul 31, 2019
Submitted by: Angel76w
Region: Paulding County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: owlbyr
Verified date: Oct 06, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_0326_8.jpg?itok=xI6Abmll)
Observation date: Sep 01, 2022
Submitted by: Homer E
Region: Athens County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 17, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/p1060020.jpg?itok=T6pQanNy)
Observation date: Jul 29, 2017
Submitted by: jefferykarafa
Region: Shannon County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: jamesdurbin
Verified date: Sep 16, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20200824_dolba_hyloeus_pawpaw_sphinx_-_panico_parcel_ambler_flatwoods_michigan_city_in_1.jpg?itok=717I-Uiq)
Observation date: Aug 24, 2020
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Indiana, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 05, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/072322205731-edit.jpg?itok=fEhNNPCF)
Observation date: Jul 23, 2022
Submitted by: mysorekid
Region: Porter County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 28, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/38ddd3a5-38a9-425c-8686-a5c97420d962.jpeg?itok=wDnW91xQ)
Observation date: Jul 09, 2022
Submitted by: robpendergast
Region: Portage County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Jul 09, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/moth_2_20220601.jpg?itok=LnYUOPNp)
Observation date: Jun 01, 2022
Submitted by: CarolAnnM
Region: Harris County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 08, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/0x8a3486.jpg?itok=oIHbCcAg)
Observation date: Jun 05, 2022
Submitted by: grayhairstreak
Region: New Castle County, Delaware, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 07, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/p5300091.jpg?itok=CQae8N4r)
Observation date: May 31, 2022
Submitted by: Allen Belden
Region: Richmond, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 31, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20220521_051619.jpg?itok=SyWwpabq)
Observation date: May 21, 2022
Submitted by: Tangle912
Region: Marshall County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 31, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/p7112952.jpg?itok=vd4GzMEF)
Observation date: Jul 11, 2021
Submitted by: Scotiaspinner
Region: New Brunswick, Canada
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Feb 08, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/pawpaw_sphinx_moth_caterpillar_20210717.jpg?itok=XfmETro0)
Observation date: Jul 17, 2021
Submitted by: CincyJeff
Region: Highland County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Feb 06, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/moth_2021.jpg?itok=67dJ-VZY)
Observation date: Jun 15, 2021
Submitted by: altoonamothlady
Region: Lake County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 02, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/b06c02b3-9c46-40e4-b405-66f15f2ba9d1.jpeg?itok=ATaBw-7G)
Observation date: Aug 27, 2021
Submitted by: plawryniuk
Region: Newport News, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 30, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/c2f78a49-7627-4905-bfc0-fdd7ddc12165.png?itok=x8EgyELU)
Observation date: Aug 11, 2021
Submitted by: reupurtbones
Region: Allen County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 14, 2021
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