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
2018-10-20	Madison	Weston, Valerie	Adult
2018-08-31	Ohio	Miller, Velda	Adult
2018-07-10	Allen	Muntzinger, Laura	Caterpillar on (Pentas sp)
2018-07-08	Hamilton	Morgel, Tiffanie	Caterpillar
2018-07-02	Randolph	House, Jessica	Caterpillar
2018-06-16	Owen	Malad, Rick	Adult
2018-06-16	Owen	Malad, Rick	Adult

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Observation Details	Images
Date: 2018-10-20 County: Madison Observer: Weston, Valerie Notes: Adult
Date: 2018-08-31 County: Ohio Observer: Miller, Velda Notes: Adult
Date: 2018-07-10 County: Allen Observer: Muntzinger, Laura Notes: Caterpillar on (Pentas sp)
Date: 2018-07-08 County: Hamilton Observer: Morgel, Tiffanie Notes: Caterpillar
Date: 2018-07-02 County: Randolph Observer: House, Jessica Notes: Caterpillar
Date: 2018-06-16 County: Owen Observer: Malad, Rick Notes: Adult
Date: 2018-06-16 County: Owen Observer: Malad, Rick 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