Ceratomia catalpae
Encyclopedia
The Catalpa Sphinx is a hawk moth of the Sphingidae
family.
and can be located on catalpa trees
that grow within this region. It can be found from Maine
, west to Iowa
, south to Florida
, the gulf states and Texas
.
of the eggs to pupation, about four weeks will pass. Where multiple broods occur, pupae will eclose
in two weeks, or when conditions are suitable. Adult C. catalpae don't reflect the wonderful colors of its larvae. They are a dull brown color lacking that show-off appearance of its larval stages.
.
s will usually have a dark, black stripe down their back along with black dots along their sides. There is also a "pale" phase where the black striping is not as prevalent or missing altogether and a shade of white has replaced it. They grow to a length of about 5 cm (2 in) and feed on the leaves of the Northern Catalpa
and, more commonly, the Southern Catalpa
, also known as Catawba or Indian Bean trees. They are highly desired by fishermen as bait.
, Ceratomia catalpae will burrow into the ground after its fifth and final instar in order to pupate. The larvae will go into a "wandering" stage where it leaves the Catalpa tree and climbs to the ground to find a place to bury itself so that it may pupate. The larvae will then shed its fifth instar skin to reveal its pupal skin, which will be soft and almost translucent at first, but will then harden to a light brown for protection from the elements.
. Each forewing has a small, dark mark towards the middle, with a white dot in the cell. The body is approximately 30mm long. The wingspan is 65–95 mm.
Sphingidae
Sphingidae is a family of moths , commonly known as hawk moths, sphinx moths and hornworms, that includes about 1,200 species . It is best represented in the tropics but there are species in every region . They are moderate to large in size and are distinguished among moths for their rapid,...
family.
Range
Ceratomia catalpae is a native of southeastern North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and can be located on catalpa trees
Catalpa
Catalpa, commonly called catalpa or catawba, is a genus of flowering plants in the trumpet vine family, Bignoniaceae, native to warm temperate regions of North America, the Caribbean, and East Asia....
that grow within this region. It can be found from Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, west to Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, south to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, the gulf states and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
Life cycle
From ovipositionOviposition
Oviposition is the process of laying eggs by oviparous animals.Some arthropods, for example, lay their eggs with an organ called the ovipositor.Fish , amphibians, reptiles, birds and monetremata also lay eggs....
of the eggs to pupation, about four weeks will pass. Where multiple broods occur, pupae will eclose
Eclose
Eclose is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France....
in two weeks, or when conditions are suitable. Adult C. catalpae don't reflect the wonderful colors of its larvae. They are a dull brown color lacking that show-off appearance of its larval stages.
Egg
Translucent, milky-white, green, or yellowish eggs are oval, being about .5 mm in diameter. Eggs are deposited in masses of 100-1000 eggs on the undersurface of leaves, while smaller masses are deposited onto branches on the Catalpa tree. Eggs incubate and hatch five to seven days after ovipositionOviposition
Oviposition is the process of laying eggs by oviparous animals.Some arthropods, for example, lay their eggs with an organ called the ovipositor.Fish , amphibians, reptiles, birds and monetremata also lay eggs....
.
Larva
The larval stage of C. catalpae is known as the Catalpa or Catawba Worm. When first hatching, the larvae are a very pale color, but become darker toward the last instars. The yellow caterpillarCaterpillar
Caterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...
s will usually have a dark, black stripe down their back along with black dots along their sides. There is also a "pale" phase where the black striping is not as prevalent or missing altogether and a shade of white has replaced it. They grow to a length of about 5 cm (2 in) and feed on the leaves of the Northern Catalpa
Northern Catalpa
Catalpa speciosa, commonly known as the northern catalpa, hardy catalpa, western catalpa, cigar tree, and catawba-tree,is a species of Catalpa native to the midwestern United States....
and, more commonly, the Southern Catalpa
Southern Catalpa
Catalpa bignonioides is a species of Catalpa that is native to the southeastern United States in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi...
, also known as Catawba or Indian Bean trees. They are highly desired by fishermen as bait.
Pupa
Like most other SphingidaeSphingidae
Sphingidae is a family of moths , commonly known as hawk moths, sphinx moths and hornworms, that includes about 1,200 species . It is best represented in the tropics but there are species in every region . They are moderate to large in size and are distinguished among moths for their rapid,...
, Ceratomia catalpae will burrow into the ground after its fifth and final instar in order to pupate. The larvae will go into a "wandering" stage where it leaves the Catalpa tree and climbs to the ground to find a place to bury itself so that it may pupate. The larvae will then shed its fifth instar skin to reveal its pupal skin, which will be soft and almost translucent at first, but will then harden to a light brown for protection from the elements.
Adult
The adult Catalpa Sphinx is brown in color with a circular band of dark brown or black surrounding its thoraxThorax (insect anatomy)
The thorax is the mid section of the insect body. It holds the head, legs, wings and abdomen. It is also called mesosoma in other arthropods....
. Each forewing has a small, dark mark towards the middle, with a white dot in the cell. The body is approximately 30mm long. The wingspan is 65–95 mm.
Food Plants
C. catalpae can be quite harmful to the Catalpa tree during large outbreaks. The first trial of aerial crop dusting was an attempt to control the Catalpa Sphinx.- Catalpa bignonioides, (Southern Catalpa)
- Catalpa speciosa, (Northern Catalpa)
External links
- Catalpa sphinx, Moths of North America
- Ceratomia catalpae, Sphingidae of the Americas