TomatoWorm - OMG, I mean OMG!!!!!! It is so good to see you back on the forum!

You have had the greatest influence on my fascination and rearing of sphinx moths ever - truly an inspiration!

While I am not really able to venture onto nature trails or habitat areas outside of my home, I have raised 12 or 13 different species of sphingidae found in my own yard, believe it or not.

This year has been especially horrid, though, due to our extreme drought. Butterflies AND moths are few and far between. I have only raised a Eumorpha achemon and a Eumorpha pandorus. I have had several Nessus sphinx at my butterfly feeder, though. One morning there were 4! That's a lot at one time for me, when I usually am lucky to see only 1.

Last year, I was thrilled to find on my Blue Sand Vine, Cynanchum laeve, larvae of the Erinnyis obscura, or Obscure Moth, which is a rare find in Oklahoma, since it is a much more tropical species. I raised the 5 I found, and all pupated and emerge as beautiful little moths.

So tell me where are you and what have you been doing? Inquiring minds want to know, lol!

Susan

I'm actually now in NE Texas. 30 miles or so, due west of Texarkana. So what all species of sphingids have you reared? I've expanded into big poplar, walnut and waved, in addition to sexta's. I'm now wanting to grow catalpas.

Let's see. In addition to the Obscure sphinx mentioned before, I've raised:

Four-Horned sphinx or Elm sphinx aka Ceratomia amyntor
Manduca quinquemaculata
M. sexta
Paratrea plebeja aka Trumper Vine sphinx
Amorpha juglandis or Walnut sphinx
Hemaris diffinus or Snowberry Clearwing
Eumorpha achemon
E. pandorus
Amphion floridensis
Darapsa myron or Virginia Creeper sphinx
Xylophanes tersa

There's one more but I can't recall it right now.

Did you find lots of sphinx in Kansas, or any other places you've traveled to?

Susan

Good work, Susan. I hope by this time next year, I will have most of those, along with 7 species of sat's.