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Adult at a moth sheet — Owen County (Rick Malad)
Adult side view — Huntington County (Andrea Schwartz)
Adult showing the yellow hindwings — Clark County (Robert Slaton)
Caterpillar early instar — Lake County (Jeanette Jaskula)
Caterpillar intermediate instar — Lake County (Jeanette Jaskula)
Caterpillar in last instar with the green/brown patch pattern — Monroe County (Todd Elliot)
Caterpillar in last instar with the “woodgrain“ pattern — Grant County (Debby Vincent)
An Indiana Native

Sphecodina abbottii — Abbott's Sphinx

(Swainson, 1821)

abbottii Species Sphecodina Genus Macroglossinae Subfamily Family Sphingidae Bombycoidea Superfamily Order Lepidoptera Insecta Class Hexapoda Subphylum Phylum Arthropoda Kingdom Animalia
abbottii Species Sphecodina Genus Macroglossinae Subfamily Family Sphingidae Bombycoidea Superfamily Order Lepidoptera Insecta Class Hexapoda Subphylum Phylum Arthropoda Kingdom Animalia

Hodges# 7870

Etymology

Sphecodina: Unknown

Abbottii: Named for John Abbott (1751-1840), a well known American naturalist who focused on ornithology and entomology.

Pronunciation

Sfec-ODE-in-uh Ah-bot-ee-eye

Adult at a moth sheet — Owen County (Rick Malad)
Adult side view — Huntington County (Andrea Schwartz)
Adult showing the yellow hindwings — Clark County (Robert Slaton)
Caterpillar early instar — Lake County (Jeanette Jaskula)
Caterpillar intermediate instar — Lake County (Jeanette Jaskula)
Caterpillar in last instar with the green/brown patch pattern — Monroe County (Todd Elliot)
Caterpillar in last instar with the “woodgrain“ pattern — Grant County (Debby Vincent)

Documented Occurrences

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

species present icon GAIN LP
documented
in county.

GAIN LP Sightings

Date County Observer Notes Image1 Image2
2024-05-21 Vermillion Revesz, Tiffany
2024-05-18 Hamilton Kant, Nancy
2024-05-14 Lake Welton, Rick
2023-06-14 Hamilton Kant, Nancy
2023-06-14 Hamilton Kant, Nancy
2023-06-01 Newton Jaskula, Jeanette
2023-05-19 Lake Moore, Chris
2023-05-19 Lake Moore, Chris
2023-05-19 Lake Moore, Chris
2023-05-19 Lake Moore, Chris
1   2   3   4   5       Next
Observation Details Images
Date: 2024-05-21
County: Vermillion
Observer: Revesz, Tiffany
Notes:
Date: 2024-05-18
County: Hamilton
Observer: Kant, Nancy
Notes:
Date: 2024-05-14
County: Lake
Observer: Welton, Rick
Notes:
Date: 2023-06-14
County: Hamilton
Observer: Kant, Nancy
Notes:
Date: 2023-06-14
County: Hamilton
Observer: Kant, Nancy
Notes:
Date: 2023-06-01
County: Newton
Observer: Jaskula, Jeanette
Notes:
Date: 2023-05-19
County: Lake
Observer: Moore, Chris
Notes:
Date: 2023-05-19
County: Lake
Observer: Moore, Chris
Notes:
Date: 2023-05-19
County: Lake
Observer: Moore, Chris
Notes:
Date: 2023-05-19
County: Lake
Observer: Moore, Chris
Notes:
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Sphecodina abbottii Sightings by Month

Notes

This moth makes a buzzing noise, mimicking a bee as it feeds which, is thought to be a defensive mechanism to avoid predation.

Conservation Status

Floral Associates

Abbott's Sphinx caterpillars are primarily specialists of plants in the Grape (Vitaceae) family, but one source also lists Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) as a host species. Adults nectar from flowers, tree sap, and nutrient puddles.


Known Larval Food Sources in Indiana
Family Taxonomic Name Common Name
Order: Rosales
RosaceaeCrataegus spp.hawthorns
Order: Vitales
VitaceaeAmpelopsis spp.peppervine, aka porcelainberry
Parthenocissus spp.Virginia creeper and woodbine
Vitis spp.grapes