Sorry I haven’t posted much lately. Grad school is busy! I hope you accept this gorgeous male Eumorpha fasciatus as consolation. This moth is sometimes known as the Banded Sphinx or Lesser Vine Sphinx. I think it should be called the “hmm it’s kinda boring OH LOOK AT THE HINDWINGS Sphinx” but perhaps that’s too long of a name? Thoughts? You can read more about this species including rearing notes on my website: www.sphingidae.us/Eumorpha-fasciatus #Eumorpha #Eumorphafasciatus #IGClub_butterfly #igcb_mothmonday #Entomology #insects_of_our_world #BandedSphinx #Moth #SphinxMoth #HawkMoth #LesserVineSphinx #Moths #Insect #Lepidoptera https://www.instagram.com/p/B247FEKAO8N/?igshid=1hfdbxxwdh7ua

Wall Butterfly. (Lasiommata Megera) #wallbutterfly #lasiommatamegera #wall #butterfly #insect #nature #naturephotography #wildlife #wildlifephotography #igscwildlife #igbest_macros #igclub_butterfly #igcb_mothmondays #kings_insects #nature_brothers #ip_insects #pocket_insects #benfieldnaturereserve #benfieldlnr #benfieldlocalnaturereserve (at Benfield Valley Golf Course)

LOOK AT THIS CUTIE. This is Eumorpha pandorus (Pandorus Sphinx) and it's a very special caterpillar. I reared this larva from an egg from the adult Eumorpha pandorus I posted a while back. This species is one of the main ones I'm working with for my thesis project because the larvae can come in a number of color forms. Pictured here is a third instar E. pandorus that is green colored. The white blotches around the spiracles in this larva are cream, instead of the normal white. This species can also come in orange, brown, black, yellow, and red. It's pretty phenominal the amount of coloration this species can have! They are out and about right now in the Northeast, so if you have a lot of Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia Creeper), Parthenocissus vitacea (Grape Woodbine), or Vitis (Grape), it's worth taking a look for this magnificent larva. If you happen to find a few, consider sending them to me to assist in my research :). Eumorpha pandorus is easily one of the most charasmatic sphingids found in the Northeast, and can be found all the way to Southern Florida and west to the Great Plains. The final instar of this larva is just massive and sort of resembles a walking sausage. Another fun fact about this species is the caudual horn. You can see in this image it's rather long and curly, resembling a Grape or Virginia Creeper tendril, the fourth instar will lose it's horn entirely, being replaced by a really cool false eyespot. I'll post a LOT more photos of this larva as it grows, as well as other Eumorpha pandorus larvae when/if I find some! #Sphingidae #SphingidaeUSA #Eumorpha #Eumorphapandorus #PandorusSphinx #Hawkmoths #SphinxMoths #Insects #Caterpillar #GradWork #Projects #Moth #Lepidoptera #Entomology #Insects_Of_Our_World #igclub_butterfly #igcb_mothmonday https://www.instagram.com/p/B2IJ3ZIAdB3/?igshid=epv7h6xgi0y7

Well look at that. I found a pandorus! This time, about a stone's throw from my parent's backyard in Boston. This is the second time I've encountered this species in Boston, the first being in 2017 when a HUGE adult female flew into my parent's mudporch and scared my mother half to death (they're BIG moths). Anyways, this larva is another green form (like the one I posted that I had reared) and is a larger third instar. You can see the caudual horn has shrunk significantly, and will dissapear the next time this larva sheds. What was also pretty cool, was that on a nearby tree, I found a big green 4th instar too! I'll post pictures of that separately. Enjoy this rare in-situ photo :). I really prefer my lab photography setup, but this works very nicely too. #Sphingidae #SphingidaeUSA #Eumorpha #Eumorphapandorus #PandorusSphinx #Hawkmoths #SphinxMoths #Insects #Caterpillar #GradWork #Projects #Moth #Lepidoptera #Entomology #Insects_Of_Our_World #igclub_butterfly #igcb_mothmonday https://www.instagram.com/p/B2Mi8C_AmZX/?igshid=yezslorjceam

This is a very special larva, and one I’ve wanted to find for years! This is Darapsa versicolor or the Hydrangea Sphinx. This is one of 3 species in the genus Darapsa, the other two being D. myron and D. choerilus. This species is arguably the most uncommon of the 3. I have finally managed to figure out where to find the adults, and after getting a multitude at one of my field sites, @professional_scrub and I began to search their hostplants for larvae. Well, I didn’t find one, but @professional_scrub did. These caterpillars are quite cool and are quite stunning with their red spiracles and feet. This photo was taken the night we found the larva. I must say I’m extremely pleased with the way it turned out. I’ll be sure to post a photo of the adult later! #Darapsa #Darapsaversicolor #HydrangeaSphinx #Sphingidae #Caterpillar #HawkMoth #SphinxMoth #Moth #Insect #MacroPhoto #Photography #Insects_of_our_world #igclub_butterfly #igcb_mothmonday #macrogrammers #macrointhewild #Buttonbush #Plants #Research #FieldWork https://www.instagram.com/p/B0ojapLg8yt/?igshid=1d5gmu744e1qc

This is Ceratomia amyntor, the Four Horned or Elm Sphinx. This particular specimen was a county record for Suffolk Co., MA, being found in Boston proper. I always enjoy getting county record Sphingidae, particularly ones in my home-county, or other large urban areas. A project I've been working on this year, and hope to continue into the future is Urban Sphingidae Diversity. I'm mapping Sphingidae diversity and abundance on an urban to rural gradient to see if there's differences in abdunance or diversity. It's an interesting project with some really neat results so far. #Ceratomia #Ceratomiaamyntor #ElmSphinx #FourHornedSphinx #Sphingidae #Lepidoptera #SphinxMoth #HawkMoth #Entomology #Caterpillar #Larva #SphinxLarva #MothLarva #igclub_butterfly #igcb_mothmondays #insects_of_our_world https://www.instagram.com/p/B3adABJg_D1/?igshid=lucu2ce3udlv

I am absolutely in love with these dark form Xylophanes pluto (Pluto Sphinx). The adults of this moth are absolutely stunning, but oh my goodness the caterpillars are like little derpy snakes. These caterpillars are part of a project that I’m working on, the goal is to understand Sphingidae larval color morphs, and what causes them. Xylophanes pluto larvae come in a standard green form, and this brown form you see here. Sometimes the larvae of sphingids will start off one color, then shift colors in the next instar, some species can change multiple times throughout their larval growth. #Xylophanes #Xylophanespluto #PlutoSphinx #PlutoSphinxMoth #Sphingidae #SphinxMoth #SphingidaeUSA #HawkMoth #Caterpillar #Insect #Insects #igcb_mothmondays #igclub_butterfly #insects_of_our_world #ColorForms #Science #Entomology #Lepidoptera https://www.instagram.com/p/B1kVBNqgQVw/?igshid=wk6dlw18er08

This Amorpha juglandis from Texas is blue! Also known as the Walnut Sphinx, these larvae are usually green, or rarely yellow and pink, but I haven't seen blue before! This very rough looking larva will hiss and squeak at you when it feels disturbed. Since I'm working on color morphs for my thesis work, this was a really cool caterpillar to get in the mail. I am really excited to start fully running some experiments next summer, I'll be sure to post photos and preliminary results as I go :) #Amorpha #Amorphajuglandis #WalnutSphinx #Texas #Insects #Bug #Sphingidae #Lepidoptera #SphinxMoth #HawkMoth #Entomology #Caterpillar #Larva #SphinxLarva #MothLarva #igclub_butterfly #igcb_mothmondays #insects_of_our_world https://www.instagram.com/p/B3SUZ-agQ4M/?igshid=1m4xh6qy0ld69

This regal looking fellow is Manduca jasminearum, The Ash Sphinx. There is also a Great Ash Sphinx (Sphinx chersis), but personally, I think this guy is better. Anyways, that's why I don't like common names. The end. I'm joking, not about the common names though. Anyways, Manduca jasminearum is found throughout the Northeast, and has recently been making a comeback in New England. The absolutely splendid adult is charcoal gray with black smudges. I really enjoyed taking photos of this cooperative caterpillar, and I'm excited for the (hopefully) equally cooperative adult. Stay tuned! #Manduca #Manducajasminearum #AshSphinx #GreatAshSphinx #That'sOneGreatAshSphinx #Sphingidae #Lepidoptera #SphinxMoth #HawkMoth #Entomology #Caterpillar #Larva #SphinxLarva #MothLarva #igclub_butterfly #igcb_mothmondays #insects_of_our_world https://www.instagram.com/p/B3IM-IggLYm/?igshid=xjnkshgyo2gi

This Eudryas unio was a welcome sight at one of my new mothing sites. This moth is also known as the Pearly Wood Nymph. The larvae are pretty cool too, but the adults are just stunningly gorgeous. #eudryas #eudryasunio #pearlywoodnymph #moth #macrophotography #insect #entomology #lepidoptera #igcb_mothmondays #igclub_butterfly #macroinsect #photography (at Blue Hills Reservation) https://www.instagram.com/p/ByEGp-pAdnm/?igshid=dkumw9zvnrq3

Parasa indetermina or the Stinging Rose Slug is by far my favorite limacodid. #stingingrosecaterpillar #parasaindetermina #limacodidae #parasa #slugmoth #candymoth #candybutton #itsadorable #insects_of_our_world #insects_macro #igclubbutterfly #igcb_mothmondays https://www.instagram.com/p/BqlJOjjFo8A/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1msgtz2tirur

Back to a moth! This is Manduca florestan, a very common Sphingid in parts of Arizona. It’s gorgeous in color! I really wish I had been able to find some of their larvae, as they’re quite spectacular. This was one of 6 species of Manduca that I saw in under a week! #sphingidae #maderacanyon #entomology #sphinxmoth #sphingidaeusa #moth #manduca #manducaflorestan #florestansphinxmoth #insects_macro #insect #insects_of_our_world #ig_clubbutterfly #igcb_mothmondays https://www.instagram.com/p/Bqcq-pZlMMt/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1bys5xlm5mh91

I found my first ever Hepialid the other week! This is Sthenopis argenteomaculatus or the Silver Spotted Ghost Moth. Moths in the family Hepialidae are colloquially called the Ghost Moths. These moths have larvae that develop inside the stems or roots of plants and trees. A very cool family of moths. It was very cool seeing one! #hepialidae #ghostmoth #moth #lepidoptera #entomology #insects_of_our_world #igclub_butterfly #igcb_mothmondays #macrophotography

Cerma cora or the Owl-Eyed Bird Dropping Moth, is a fairly cool species. It hs been in decline in the northeast. However, pockets of this species remain, and if you find it, you’re more than likely to encounter many! It’s a fairly pretty moth too, the white area does sorta look like an owls face. #moth #insects_of_our_world #igclub_butterfly #igcb_mothmondays #macro #cermacora #owleyedbirddroppingmoth #entomology #lepidoptera #mothing #mother #bug #insect #instabug

This is a 4th instar Paonias astylus (Huckleberry Sphinx) found on 9/10/17 on Martha’s Vineyard. This species was a great find and was a thrill to see. In total, 4 individuals were found. #huckleberrysphinx #paonias #paoniasastylus #entomology #insects_of_our_world #igcb_mothmondays #moth #lepidoptery #caterpillar #cute #marthasvineyard

Papaipema sulphurata - Water Willow Stem Borer. This moth is really cool for several reasons, the first being it is endemic to a tiny area of Southeastern Massachusetts. This moth is only found in 5 counties in the state, and not more than halfway up 2 of them, giving this moth a very small geographic range. The second reason this moth is cool is because that stem you see in the background is where it came from. As larvae, this group of moths bores into the stems of various plants, this one bores into Decodon verticillatus or Water Willow. The larvae complete their lifecycle within the plant and only leave it to pupate. This species actually pupates in the stem! Very cool moth, and life cycle! #Papaipema #Papaipemasulphurata #Endemic #endemicspecies pecies #noctuidae #waterwillowstemborer #moth #entomology #insects_of_our_world #igcb_mothmondays #lepidoptery