Pink-spotted hawkmoth
Agrius cingulata (Fabricius, 1775)
Family: Sphingidae
Subfamily: Sphinginae
Identification: Body is robust. Abdomen tapers to a point and is grayish brown with pink bands. Forewing is mottled gray and brown; hindwing is gray with black bands and pink at the base.
Wing Span: 3 3/4 - 4 3/4 inches (9.5 - 12 cm).
Life History: Caterpillars are large and stout and have a horn at the end of the abdomen. They feed both day and night. Caterpillars pupate in chambers dug in the ground. Adults are very strong fliers.
Flight: . One flight from June-October in most of the range, several flights throughout the year in Florida and Louisiana.
Caterpillar Hosts: Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), jimsonweed (Datura), and related plants.
Adult Food: Nectar from deep-throated flowers including moonflower (Calonyction aculeatum), morning glory (Convolvulus), and petunia (Petunia species).
Habitat: Tropical and subtropical lowlands, open areas.
Range: Argentina north through Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean to the southeastern United States, Texas, southern New Mexico, Arizona, and southern California; strays northward in the summer to British Columbia, Colorado, Michigan, and Maine.
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: The caterpillars can be pests on sweet potatoes in the southern states.
Alternate Scientific Names:
Agrius cingulatus
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 73 - 96 of 541 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 23, 2019
Submitted by: Marlizen
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 21, 2021
Observation date: Jul 29, 2021
Submitted by: Mikelchap
Region: Glynn County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Aug 03, 2021
Observation date: Jun 15, 2021
Submitted by: Garronteed
Region: Orange County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 15, 2021
Observation date: May 30, 2020
Submitted by: Kbossong
Region: Gallia County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: Ohio97
Verified date: Dec 23, 2020
Observation date: Oct 26, 2015
Submitted by: Rojas11
Region: Onslow County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Dec 09, 2020
Observation date: Oct 25, 2020
Submitted by: sarajoy71
Region: Harrison County, Mississippi, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 26, 2020
Observation date: Oct 09, 2014
Submitted by: LindaRoe
Region: Texas, Montgomery County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 19, 2020
Observation date: Oct 15, 2020
Submitted by: Woesbaby@gmail.com
Region: Fairfax County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 16, 2020
Observation date: Oct 07, 2020
Submitted by: SurfahSistah
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 08, 2020
Observation date: Oct 05, 2020
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 05, 2020
Observation date: Sep 16, 2020
Submitted by: Mikelchap
Region: Glynn County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Sep 20, 2020
Observation date: Oct 19, 2019
Submitted by: Mirandahowe
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 20, 2020
Observation date: Oct 01, 2018
Submitted by: Chasmoto
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Apr 08, 2020
Observation date: Mar 30, 2020
Submitted by: RCirisigirl
Region: Okaloosa County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Mar 30, 2020
Observation date: Oct 02, 2008
Submitted by: Jay Cossey
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 25, 2020
Observation date: Nov 15, 2019
Submitted by: YRR777
Region: Harris County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 16, 2019
Observation date: Oct 23, 2019
Submitted by: JohnKThornvein
Region: Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Nov 08, 2019
Observation date: Oct 18, 2019
Submitted by: bbon1379
Region: New Castle County, Delaware, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 08, 2019
Observation date: Oct 24, 2019
Submitted by: gibneykm
Region: Pike County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 25, 2019
Observation date: Oct 12, 2019
Submitted by: RagxBone
Region: Walton County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 13, 2019
Observation date: Oct 08, 2019
Submitted by: mysticalraven
Region: Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 08, 2019
Observation date: Sep 25, 2019
Submitted by: Olgasfinds
Region: Okaloosa County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 06, 2019
Observation date: Sep 21, 2019
Submitted by: Cbwinnjr
Region: Henrico County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 04, 2019
Observation date: Jun 26, 2019
Submitted by: texmuerte
Region: Dallas County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 28, 2019
- ‹ previous
- 4 of 23
- next ›