Ceratomia catalpae — Catalpa Sphinx

(Boisduval, 1875)

Hodges# 7789

Etymology

Ceratomia: Combines the Greek words cero meaning “horn” and tomia meaning “to cut.”

Catalpae: Named for its host species, the word Catalpa originally came from the Native Americans tribes living in the Carolinas who referred to the tree as kutulpha meaning “winged head.”

Pronunciation

Seer-a-TOHM-ee-uh kuh-TAL-pee

Other Common Names

Catawba Worms

Documented Occurrences

This map shows the confirmed sightings of the Catalpa Sphinx in Indiana. All sightings were confirmed through photographic documentation by individuals who contributed to the Great American IN Nature Lepidoptera Project (GAIN LP).

GAIN LP Sightings

Date	County	Observer	Notes	Image1	Image2
2021-06-10	Scott	Lowry, Brian	Adult
2021-06-10	Orange	Lindsey, John	Adult
2021-05-28	Crawford	Kant, Nancy	Adult
2021-05-22	Scott	Lowry, Brian	Adult
2020-08-28	Marion	Renner, Tara	Adult
2020-08-20	Hamilton	Jablonski, Barbara	Adult
2020-08-19	Marion	Bankert-Countryman, Janice	Adult
2020-08-18	Jefferson	Johnson, Stefan	Adult
2020-08-16	Hamilton	Smith, Amanda	Adult
2020-08-15	Scott	Lowry, Brian	Adult

Observation Details	Images
Date: 2021-06-10 County: Scott Observer: Lowry, Brian Notes: Adult
Date: 2021-06-10 County: Orange Observer: Lindsey, John Notes: Adult
Date: 2021-05-28 County: Crawford Observer: Kant, Nancy Notes: Adult
Date: 2021-05-22 County: Scott Observer: Lowry, Brian Notes: Adult
Date: 2020-08-28 County: Marion Observer: Renner, Tara Notes: Adult
Date: 2020-08-20 County: Hamilton Observer: Jablonski, Barbara Notes: Adult
Date: 2020-08-19 County: Marion Observer: Bankert-Countryman, Janice Notes: Adult
Date: 2020-08-18 County: Jefferson Observer: Johnson, Stefan Notes: Adult
Date: 2020-08-16 County: Hamilton Observer: Smith, Amanda Notes: Adult
Date: 2020-08-15 County: Scott Observer: Lowry, Brian Notes: Adult

Ceratomia catalpae Sightings by Month

Notes

The Catalpa Sphinx caterpillar will thrash back and forth if bothered and even regurgitate a green fluid in hopes of grossing out potential predators. These caterpillars are common hosts for parasitic wasps that lay their eggs inside the caterpillar and emerge after the complete their metamorphosis, thus killing the caterpillar.

Conservation Status

• Global status: G5 (secure)
• National status: N5 (secure)
• Indiana status: NR (not ranked)

Floral Associates

Catalpa Sphinx caterpillars are extreme specialists that are only able to feed on trees in the genus Catalpa, which in North America, consists of two species: the Northern Catalpa (C. speciosa), which in Indiana, was originally native to only a few southwestern counties, and Southern Catalpa (C. bignonioides), which is native to the extreme Southeastern United States and exotic to Indiana. Both trees have been widely planted as lawn trees and have escaped cultivation, which has subsequently also increased the range of the Catalpa Sphinx Moth, which is now likely in every county of the state.

Adult moths mostly like do not feed.

Known Larval Food Sources in Indiana
Family	Taxonomic Name	Common Name
Order: Lamiales
Bignoniaceae	Catalpa spp.	northern and southern catalpa