Moths of North Carolina
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85 NC Records

Dolba hyloeus (Drury, 1773) - Pawpaw Sphinx


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Taxonomy
Superfamily: Bombycoidea Family: SphingidaeSubfamily: SphinginaeTribe: SphinginiP3 Number: 890100.00 MONA Number: 7784.00
Comments: The only species in the genus. Hodges (1971) placed the genus near Manduca based on genitalic characters.
Species Status: Bar codes are homogeneous for this species.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIFTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1948); Hodges (1971); Tuttle (2007)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1948); Wagner (2005); Tuttle (2007)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Wing pattern consists of brown and white patches, much like Manducia rustica, but this species is much smaller and lacks the yellow spots that rustica has on the sides of its abdomen. Paratrea plebeja often occurs with it, is the same size and shape, but is streaked and obviously different. Sexes are similar.
Wingspan: 5 - 6.8 cm (Covell, 1984)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Larvae are pale- to pea-green with only six well developed white lateral stripes; head broad with a blue stripe and granulated in appearance (Forbes, 1948). Pupation occurs underground.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Found throughout North Carolina except possibly for the high mountains.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Immature Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Flight Comments: There appear to be two broods, especially in the coastal plain but the second brood is smaller in numbers. Look for adults in April and May.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Most common in hardwood habitats, especially rich mesic woodlands or along river floodplains and rich bottomlands where Common Pawpaw occurs. In the Coastal Plain it is also common in wet pine flatwoods and pocosins, probably in association with Ilex glabra. It also occurs in fairly xeric, sandy habitats, including maritime forests and scrub where possibly in association with Yaupon (Ilex vomitoria), and inland sandhills, possibly in association with Dwarf Pawpaw (A. parviflora).
Larval Host Plants: Oligophagous, with Pawpaw, probably both species (Asimina triloba and A. parviflora), as well as Inkberry (Ilex glabra) and other hollies reported as foodplants for the caterpillars (Wagner, 2005). There is no evidence for which of these species is used in any area of the state, a fruitful topic for research.
Observation Methods: Adults come readily to lights -- multiple individuals can occur in a single trap -- and have been observed visiting flowers at dusk, especially petunias and buttonbush. There is no attraction to fermented fruits or other common baiting materials.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Forests and Shrublands
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 S4S5
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands
Comments: Given its use of multiple, fairly common host plants, broad habitat associations, and extensive occurrence across the state, this species appears to be secure.

 Photo Gallery for Dolba hyloeus - Pawpaw Sphinx

33 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.

Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-09-13
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-07-26
Greene Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-07-17
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Morgan Freese on 2022-06-28
New Hanover Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2022-06-06
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-05-26
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2021-09-21
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2021-08-25
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2021-08-02
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2021-08-02
Transylvania Co.
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Recorded by: Andy Kane on 2021-07-28
Gaston Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: C. Stirrat on 2021-07-10
Moore Co.
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Recorded by: R. Newman on 2021-05-28
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2021-05-28
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2020-04-22
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2018-08-01
Graham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-07-02
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-07-02
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2018-05-16
Burke Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2018-05-16
Burke Co.
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Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2017-05-04
Burke Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn on 2017-04-18
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Julie Tuttle on 2016-09-03
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2015-08-15
Burke Co.
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Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2015-06-12
Warren Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2014-05-08
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2013-07-08
Warren Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Lori Owenby on 2012-07-07
Catawba Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Taylor Piephoff on 2011-04-18
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2010-07-23
Warren Co.
Comment: