<div class="field field--name-field-common-name field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Laurel Sphinx

jg, you might try looking on ABEbooks, which is where i usually go for used books.

Thank you, Mayra! :D Nina, thank you! Sounds like something I am going to get! :)

the owlet book is helpful, but in hindsight, I'd have preferred a paper copy. I may buy a used one online--I've found them for about 30$ or less inclusive of shipping.

MayraSpringmann

Fantastic capture!!

:D the Eastern Caterpillars book is very helpful! Is the Owlet Caterpillars awesome as well?

Dang, you got the ID from Wagner... me likey!!!! And, btw, I've paid him a fortune (or his publisher) via his book on eastern caterpillars, as well as the Kindle version of the owlet caterpillars

Haha, Bayucca! I just got a message from Hugh @ BAMONA, and he sent them to Dave Wagner, who confirmed Sphinx kalmiae! I'm starstruck. :) haha!

Yes, I know I should, but I will get my 5 bucks from Gerardo... http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/10771560

Thanks Nina!

BTW JG, if you're ever in doubt about a sphinx or saturniid, Bill is the man for the job--see the following website for sphinx moths http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/danjansphinx.htm and he also has one for silk moths

Hahahahah! Bayucca, I think it's almost time you pay the man 8;) (meaning Bill O).

Okay! Thanks for all that reference, Bayucca!

Hugh ID is definitely safe, you do not to mail him, unless you want to challenge him with 4th instar ;-)...

If you look at the bugguide link for Kalmiae you will always see this black stripe. I know that caterpillar instars might have completely different markings and colors, but from white to black?? And look at the size! Personally I am not very familiar with all this L1 to L5 or L6, but as I can see this one might not be a very early instar, looking at the size. http://bugguide.net/node/view/3733/bgimage There is one without black as well: http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Sphinx-kalmiae Guess from what site??!! blacks: http://www.flickr.com/photos/charaxes14/galleries/72157626118849199/#photo_2918687906 http://www.whatsthatbug.com/2011/07/30/laurel-sphinx-caterpillar-3/ http://twolfephotos.smugmug.com/keyword/sphinx%20kalmiae#!i=1027830004&k=dQBfE http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/49656726 http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/49656751 http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/28253268 For me the definite ID!! http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/skalmiae.htm Sphinx kalmiae, caterpillar L4 I'll get my sackcloth and ash...

I am about to send an email to him, but what specific questions should I ask? Thanks again!

Awesome! Thanks Nina!

Yes, skim down to his name on this page at MPG http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/contacts.php

I was thinking it could be an early instal as well. He was wandering around on a Maple (Acer sp.) tree. He did not seem interested, but who knows at this point! Does anyone know how to contact Hugh personally?

Also, Jg, do you know the food plant this guy is munching on?

Nina, there is no black mark. I am not questioning Hugh, I am just confused! Same here bayucca! It seems as if the black stripe is replaced by a white one!

I am too...I was bumped off the site before I finished my comment! I wonder if this is an earlier instar? The light green stripe that bounds the black on both sides is present in the proper position, it's just the black stripe missing. The tricolor matches perfectly. I agree with you bayucca... Hugh is also a curator on MPG, yes?

I usually do not question IDs from people who knows much more than me, but I am still looking for this black stripe!

Hugh McGuinness should be considered a trusted source. Sphinx kalmiae fits spot on. Tricolored Black white yellow stripes above spiracles. Head body maker with black line. -page 259 in Wagner

Wow, bayucca as confused as me?! I must be dreaming. Haha, it says that H.D. McGuinness is my verifier. I have submitted another series to BAMONA including the first and second photos.

Tricolored stripes would match, but the missing black marking definitely not. I would still not agree with Kalmiae, however, I can just judge what I see and I can't see any white stripe in Kalmiae and BAMONA is usually quite a reliable source. Do you know who does the ID?? At the moment I am confused as you!

I am now confused by the white markings near the head. It has been confirmed by BAMONA as Sphinx kalmiae. I may also want to submit the second photo, and see if I get a different suggestion. There is the absence of the black mark in my spotting, and it seems that it is replaced by a white mark. I am thoroughly confused! Please give your thoughts, everyone!

Thank you so much, Nina! But I cannot find any species of the Rustic Sphinx with the tricolored stripes Bayucca was mentioning. It looks almost exactly like Manduca, but in all the species I have seen, the stripes are absent. If you can find a picture of the Rustic with the yellow/white/blue coloring, I will be convinced, though I cannot see any through BugGuide. Nina, I cannot recall perfectly, but it may have been a juvenile maple tree. Thanks again, Bayucca and Nina C. Wilde for your dedication in trying to ID this sphinx!

I am confused about the clearly tricolored stripes. In most of Manduca pictures I can't see them that clearly (what does not mean much, however).

from BG's info page: "Larva is green with an extremely granular horn(1) and two yellow granular lines extending back from the head. Diagonal lines along sides are darker above. There is also a variation with a blue-grey underside and lime green topside. Early instars are more granular all over"

I think this is a Rustic Sphinx. Wagner doesn't have as clear a description as Bugguide on this one.

It's definitely a sphinx moth--i'm scouring through both versions of Wagner's --can you tell me the plant that it's on??

Update: I have submitted to BugGuide for ID, hoping for an answer! :D

Thanks bayucca-- I was also stumped by the tri-color stripes, blue/white/yellow. Until you mentioned it, I did not notice the patterning on the head. I could not find the species in Wagner's Caterpillars of Eastern North America, either. Thanks again!

In my eyes it is neither Manduca quinquemaculata nor Sphinx kalmiae. Kalmiae should have a very prominent black stripe on the head. Manduca looks different with some kind triangular whitish stripes. Unfortunately I have not any other IDea to give at the moment. I am confused about the white stripe on the head and the clearly tri-colored stripes.

Could this be Fawn Sphinx?