Plebeian sphinx
Paratrea plebeja (Fabricius, 1777)
Family: Sphingidae
Subfamily: Sphinginae
Identification: Forewing is gray with indistinct black and white markings, a series of black dashes from the base to the tip, and a small white cell spot. Hindwing is dark gray with an obscure dark median band.
Wing Span: 2 3/8 - 3 inches (6 - 7.5 cm).
Life History: Caterpillars hide on the underside of stems during the day, and emerge to feed at night. Fully-grown caterpillars pupate in chambers in soft soil. Caterpillars of the second brood pupate and overwinter in their chambers.
Flight: One brood in the north from May-July, at least two broods in the south from March-November.
Caterpillar Hosts: Common trumpetcreeper (Campsis radicans), Florida yellow-trumpet (Tecoma stans), lilac (Syringa species), and passionflower (Passiflora species).
Adult Food: Deep-throated flowers including honeysuckle, bouncing bet, and verbena.
Habitat: Not reported.
Range: Connecticut south to Florida; west to Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Ranges south to Veracruz, Mexico.
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: Genus changed from Paratrea to Paratraea. Apparent misspelling. Fixed 8/2009.
Alternate Scientific Names:
Paratrea plebeja
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 97 - 120 of 307 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 29, 1973
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Randolph County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: Phillip E. Koenig (Phillip Koenig)
Verified date: Mar 11, 2009
Observation date: Jul 20, 1977
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Callaway County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: Phillip E. Koenig (Phillip Koenig)
Verified date: Mar 11, 2009
Observation date: Jul 30, 1939
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Hamlet)
Region: Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: Phillip E. Koenig (Phillip Koenig)
Verified date: Mar 11, 2009
Observation date: Sep 01, 1962
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Donahue, R.J.)
Region: Bates County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: Phillip E. Koenig (Phillip Koenig)
Verified date: Mar 11, 2009
Observation date: May 26, 1971
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Evans, Doug)
Region: Randolph County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Phillip Koenig; Heitzman, J.R.)
Verified date: Mar 11, 2009
Observation date: Jun 10, 1982
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Heitzman, J. Richard)
Region: Dunklin County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Phillip Koenig; Heitzman, J.R.)
Verified date: Mar 11, 2009
Observation date: Jan 01, 1977
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Sparkman, Jeff)
Region: Perry County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Phillip Koenig; Heitzman, J.R.)
Verified date: Mar 11, 2009
Observation date: Jul 03, 1982
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Heitzman, J. Richard)
Region: Webster County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Phillip Koenig; Heitzman, J.R.)
Verified date: Mar 11, 2009
Observation date: May 04, 1976
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Dykstra, M.)
Region: Lewis County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: Phillip E. Koenig (Phillip Koenig)
Verified date: Mar 11, 2009
Observation date: Sep 01, 1972
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Letsinger, Rae)
Region: Jasper County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: Phillip E. Koenig (Phillip Koenig)
Verified date: Mar 11, 2009
Observation date: Aug 23, 1979
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Heitzman, J. Richard)
Region: Barry County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Phillip Koenig; Heitzman, J.R.)
Verified date: Mar 11, 2009
Observation date: May 08, 1977
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Douglas County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: Phillip E. Koenig (Phillip Koenig)
Verified date: Mar 11, 2009
Observation date: Jun 17, 1968
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Hunter, Frank)
Region: Cooper County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Phillip Koenig; Heitzman, J.R.)
Verified date: Mar 11, 2009
Observation date: Aug 06, 1975
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Porter, Janet)
Region: Vernon County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Phillip Koenig; Heitzman, J.R.)
Verified date: Mar 11, 2009
Observation date: Jun 13, 1982
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Heitzman, J. Richard)
Region: Scott County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Phillip Koenig; Heitzman, J.R.)
Verified date: Mar 11, 2009
Observation date: Aug 15, 1982
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Scott County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: Phillip E. Koenig (Phillip Koenig)
Verified date: Mar 11, 2009
Observation date: Jun 02, 1986
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Heitzman, J. Richard)
Region: Wayne County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Phillip Koenig; Heitzman, J.R.)
Verified date: Mar 11, 2009
Observation date: Aug 15, 1960
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Heitzman, J. Richard)
Region: Jackson County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Phillip Koenig; Heitzman, J.R.)
Verified date: Mar 11, 2009
Observation date: Sep 11, 1957
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (St.Aubin, F.E.)
Region: Cooper County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: Phillip E. Koenig (Phillip Koenig)
Verified date: Mar 11, 2009
Observation date: Jun 09, 1982
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Heitzman, J. Richard)
Region: Maries County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Phillip Koenig; Heitzman, J.R.)
Verified date: Mar 11, 2009
Observation date: Jun 24, 1996
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Smart, Glen)
Region: Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: Phillip E. Koenig (Phillip Koenig)
Verified date: Mar 11, 2009
Observation date: Jan 01, 1971
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Grote, Linda)
Region: Pike County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Phillip Koenig; Heitzman, J.R.)
Verified date: Mar 11, 2009
Observation date: Jan 01, 1987
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Robinson, Michael)
Region: Christian County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Phillip Koenig; Heitzman, J.R.)
Verified date: Mar 11, 2009
Observation date: Jul 03, 1982
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Heitzman, J. Richard)
Region: Shannon County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Phillip Koenig; Heitzman, J.R.)
Verified date: Mar 11, 2009
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