Spurge hawkmoth
Hyles euphorbiae (Linnaeus, 1758)
Family: Sphingidae
Subfamily: Macroglossinae
Identification: Forewing upperside is pale yellow-gray to lavender-gray, with a dark brown spot at the center of the costa and at the wing base, and a dark brown band running from the wing tip to the inner margin. The costal and outer margins may be dusted with pink or gray. Hindwing upperside is black with a pale greenish outer margin and a pinkish brown median band which becomes white at the inner margin.
Wing Span: 2 1/2 - 3 1/16 inches (6.4 - 7.7 cm).
Life History: Females lay eggs singly or in small clusters on spurge leaves. Fully-grown caterpillars pupate in loose cocoons just below the soil surface.
Flight: .
Caterpillar Hosts: Various species of Euphorbia in the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Disturbed meadows and valleys with dense stands of leafy spurge.
Range: Ontario, Canada.
Conservation: This moth has been introduced into Canada to help control various weed spurges.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Get your BAMONA Gear!
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 189 verified sightings
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/caterpillar_sighting.png?itok=4ufoS3jM)
Observation date: Jul 22, 2024
Submitted by: groovewithmovement
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 29, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc08646_spurge_hawkmoth_larva_right_8646_.jpg?itok=9A2UrPFu)
Observation date: Jun 17, 2024
Submitted by: Puccini
Region: Roberts County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jun 24, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_2315_moth_on_rhubarb.jpg?itok=nS-4_xRZ)
Observation date: Jun 11, 2024
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Yellowstone County, Montana, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 14, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dscn8323_2.jpg?itok=YecDnMYy)
Observation date: Jul 01, 2023
Submitted by: Gerard Nachtegaele
Region: Saskatchewan, Canada
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jan 12, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc09738lb-spurge-hawkmoth-dorsal-1-bam.jpg?itok=0C3FvWRp)
Observation date: Sep 01, 2023
Submitted by: Puccini
Region: Roberts County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Nov 26, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/6de2950c-a970-4619-9637-5de7fdeedef0.jpeg?itok=FBI5WXET)
Observation date: Aug 06, 2023
Submitted by: DayleB
Region: Saskatchewan, Canada
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Sep 23, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/original_23_3.jpeg?itok=vXRVhzbB)
Observation date: Aug 06, 2023
Submitted by: aarongunnar
Region: Stark County, North Dakota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Sep 23, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/unnamed_76.jpg?itok=E5B56Ycp)
Observation date: Aug 26, 2023
Submitted by: laulan
Region: Saskatchewan, Canada
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Sep 23, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_0796_0.jpeg?itok=dU-R6ST-)
Observation date: Jul 30, 2023
Submitted by: megdummer
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 30, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_7350a.jpg?itok=VOXKpjmS)
Observation date: Jun 22, 2023
Submitted by: one72guy
Region: Saskatchewan, Canada
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jul 27, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_5279.jpeg?itok=mLR6ABbP)
Observation date: Jul 07, 2023
Submitted by: gdofseattle
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 16, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20230703_191001.jpg?itok=puRVo1hr)
Observation date: Jul 03, 2023
Submitted by: Hvanrhijn
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 13, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/f14f2242-db57-48d6-82f7-9fec8d2bed0c.jpeg?itok=wK48Vvqd)
Observation date: Jul 30, 2019
Submitted by: Reininger
Region: El Paso County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: charleseharp
Verified date: Mar 05, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/mothaug.192022.jpg?itok=DFW0XQfx)
Observation date: Aug 19, 2022
Submitted by: teacherlen
Region: Lincoln County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 18, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/9136e6de-1574-4b00-b57d-d2f9421eeefc.jpeg?itok=eCdkFIpJ)
Observation date: Aug 15, 2022
Submitted by: Mostarr68
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Feb 09, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/a41311f5-a53b-49fb-825f-65094f5d0a8c.jpeg?itok=LCPhnyx8)
Observation date: Aug 26, 2022
Submitted by: REM_E91
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: chalicerae
Verified date: Nov 30, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_20220825_122203569_hdr.jpg?itok=p2KSz_Fp)
Observation date: Aug 25, 2022
Submitted by: Horsecrazey7
Region: Richland County, North Dakota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Sep 25, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/1e501cce-8d5e-4ea2-bb2e-423db99b810c.jpeg?itok=SnhTBJyk)
Observation date: Aug 27, 2022
Submitted by: jrossdavis
Region: Burleigh County, North Dakota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Sep 25, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/ed73b2c6-2936-463e-9dec-ad0df6150f4c.jpg?itok=yNfO4BRB)
Observation date: Sep 14, 2022
Submitted by: Brialma
Region: Saskatchewan, Canada
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Sep 25, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20220802_101847.jpg?itok=0JSwMEit)
Observation date: Aug 02, 2022
Submitted by: Pheasantboy77
Region: Missoula County, Montana, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Sep 18, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/pxl_20220629_040335579.mp_.jpg?itok=97mlN0dq)
Observation date: Jun 28, 2022
Submitted by: Carinaapodaca
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: charleseharp
Verified date: Sep 06, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/1_1.jpeg?itok=TkNzYZDY)
Observation date: Jul 15, 2022
Submitted by: tmclean245
Region: Douglas County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: charleseharp
Verified date: Sep 04, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/bzn51601.jpg?itok=uTSuzfWT)
Observation date: Aug 04, 2022
Submitted by: Mike Cline
Region: Madison County, Montana, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 04, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/hyles_euphorbiae_img_7803.jpg?itok=MtCbXvY2)
Observation date: Jul 28, 2022
Submitted by: slowbiker
Region: Cedar County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 31, 2022
- 1 of 8
- next ›