Tersa Sphinx

Adult at a moth sheet — Owen County (Rick Malad)

Side view of an adult — Owen County (Rick Malad)

Closeup of an adult moth's head markings — Ohio County (Velda Miller)

Caterpillar in the green form — Randolph County (Jessica House)

Caterpillar in the brown form — Hamilton County (Tiffanie Morgel)

An Indiana Native

Xylophanes tersa — Tersa Sphinx

(Linnaeus, 1771)

Hodges# 7890

Etymology

Xylophanes: Combines the Greek words xylon meaning “wood” and phanes meaning “to appear” or “appear to be.”

Tersa: Possibly from the Latin for tersa “clean,” or “neat.”

Pronunciation

ZY-lo-fains TUR-suh

Other Common Names

Fawn Sphinx

Documented Occurrences

This map shows the confirmed sightings of the Tersa 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
documented
in county.

GAIN LP Sightings

Date	County	Observer	Notes
2024-08-09	Marion	Clark, Jan
2024-08-09	Marion	Clark, Jan
2021-08-21	Dubois	Rickelman, Sandra	Adult
2020-08-26	Hamilton	Kant, Nancy	Adult
2020-08-25	Scott	Lowry, Brian	Adult
2020-06-07	Hamilton	Lytz, Christina and Jim	Adult
2020-06-04	Jefferson	Johnson, Stefan	Adult
2019-08-14	Wayne	English, Philip	Adult
2019-06-27	Marion	Eggen, Jon	Adult
2019-06-03	LaPorte	Strain, Linda	Adult

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Observation Details	Images
Date: 2024-08-09 County: Marion Observer: Clark, Jan Notes:
Date: 2024-08-09 County: Marion Observer: Clark, Jan Notes:
Date: 2021-08-21 County: Dubois Observer: Rickelman, Sandra Notes: Adult
Date: 2020-08-26 County: Hamilton Observer: Kant, Nancy Notes: Adult
Date: 2020-08-25 County: Scott Observer: Lowry, Brian Notes: Adult
Date: 2020-06-07 County: Hamilton Observer: Lytz, Christina and Jim Notes: Adult
Date: 2020-06-04 County: Jefferson Observer: Johnson, Stefan Notes: Adult
Date: 2019-08-14 County: Wayne Observer: English, Philip Notes: Adult
Date: 2019-06-27 County: Marion Observer: Eggen, Jon Notes: Adult
Date: 2019-06-03 County: LaPorte Observer: Strain, Linda Notes: Adult

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Xylophanes tersa Sightings by Month

Notes

Conservation Status ??

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

Floral Associates

Tersa sphinx caterpillars are polyphagous, eating from a variety of trees, shrubs and other plants.

Family	Taxonomic Name	Common Name
Known Larval Food Sources in Indiana
Order: Ericales
Ebenaceae	Diospyros virginiana	persimmon
Order: Fabales
Fabaceae	Phaseolus polystachios	thicket bean
Order: Gentianales
Rubiaceae	Cephalanthus occidentalis	buttonbush
	Diodia spp.	buttonweeds
Order: Lamiales
Bignoniaceae	Catalpa spp.	northern and southern catalpa
Order: Malpighiales
Euphorbiaceae	Croton spp.	crotons