Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Waved sphinx
Ceratomia undulosa (Walker, 1856)


Family: Sphingidae
Subfamily: Sphinginae
Identification: Forewing is pale brownish gray with wavy black and white lines and a black-outlined white cell spot. Hindwing is gray with diffuse darker bands. Some individuals are very dark, almost black, and others are light yellowish brown.
Wing Span: 3 - 4 5/16 inches (7.6 - 11 cm).
Life History: Fully-grown caterpillars pupate underground.
Flight: . Two broods in the south from March-October, one brood in the north from May-August.
Caterpillar Hosts: Ash (Fraxinus), privet (Ligustrum), oak (Quercus), hawthorn (Crataegus) and fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus).
Adult Food: Adults probably do not feed.
Habitat: A variety of forested and open habitats.
Range: Maine west to Alberta, western North Dakota, and Colorado; south to Florida, the Gulf Coast, and 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.
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