Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFSphingidae Members: Paratrea Members: 64 NC Records

Paratrea plebeja (Fabricius, 1777) - Plebeian Sphinx

Paratrea plebeja
view caption 		Paratrea plebejaParatrea plebejaParatrea plebeja
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Bombycoidea		 Family:
Sphingidae		Subfamily:
Sphinginae		Tribe:
Sphingini		P3 Number:
890110		 MONA Number:
7793.00		 Other Common Names:
Trumpet Vine Sphinx, Plebian Sphinx
Comments: A single species genus allied to Manduca.
Species Status: Barcodes indicate that Paratrea plebeja is a single, well-defined species in our area.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1948); Hodges (1971); Tuttle (2007)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1948); Wagner (2005); Tuttle (2007)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A moderately small, gray, and streaky sphinx moth. Most similar to Sphinx gordius, with which it overlaps in range and flight periods in North Carolina. Both species possess a well-defined white discal spot but plebeja has a dark apical dash that is missing in gordius, and gordius has a darker thorax. Ceratomia undulosa has a similar pattern but is much larger and has more conspicuous cross lines. Lapara coniferarum and Isoparce cupressi are browner and lack the white discal spot. Sexes are similar.
Wingspan: 6 - 7.5 cm (Covell, 1984)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Larvae are green or brown with the normal sphingid pattern of oblique lateral lines but are covered with white granules (see Wagner, 2005 for more details). Pupation occurs underground.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Our records indicate the species is relatively common over the eastern half of North Carolina. Because the foodplant is statewide and the entire range of the species covers the eastern half of the U.S., it should be looked for in the western part of the state as well.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Paratrea plebejaAlamance Alexander Alleghany Anson Ashe Avery Beaufort Bertie Bladen Brunswick Buncombe Burke Cabarrus Caldwell Camden Carteret Caswell Catawba Chatham Cherokee Chowan Clay Cleveland Columbus Craven Cumberland Currituck Dare Davidson Davie Duplin Durham Edgecombe Forsyth Franklin Gaston Gates Graham Granville Greene Guilford Halifax Harnett Haywood Henderson Hertford Hoke Hyde Iredell Jackson Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln Macon Madison Martin McDowell Mecklenburg Mitchell Montgomery Moore Nash New%20Hanover Northampton Onslow Orange Pamlico Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Person Pitt Polk Randolph Richmond Robeson Rockingham Rowan Rutherford Sampson Scotland Stanly Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Tyrrell Union Vance Wake Warren Washington Watauga Wayne Wilkes Wilson Yadkin Yancey
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: adults.
Immature Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: immatures.
Flight Comments: May have two flights in North Carolina; more continuous further south (Wagner, 2005).
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Look for this species at the edge of wooded areas where trumpet vine is growing, i.e. powerlines, old roads through hardwoods or mixed pine-hardwood areas, or along agricultural fields bordered by wood lots.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae are apparently stenophagous, with Trumpet-creeper (Campsis radicans) being the main foodplant (Wagner, 2005). Forbes (1948) also notes that Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata), passionflower (Passiflora), and lilac (Syringa) have been reported. Carolina Spider-lily (Hymenocallis crassifolia) is pollinated by this species (Haddock, 1998). In North Carolina, all of our feeding records are for Trumpet-creeper. - View
Observation Methods: Adults are frequent flower visitors at dusk but it is not attracted to baits. Comes to 15 watt UV blacklights in small numbers and appears to be less common than would be expected based on the distribution and abundance of its host plant; like other Sphingids, mercury-vapor lights or other stronger sources of UV than standard 15 watt blacklights may be needed to accurately determine its distribution and abundance. Caterpillar surveys are also likely to be productive.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for Wet Forests and Successional Fields
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S4S5]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands
Comments: Although more needs to be learned about its distribution in the state, Paratrea seems to be at least fairly widespread in the eastern half of the state and feeds on a species that is common in disturbed areas; appears to be secure.

 Photo Gallery for Paratrea plebeja - Plebeian Sphinx

 53 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-09-16
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-08-24
Durham Co.
Comment:
Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-08-24
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2025-08-10
Durham Co.
Comment:
Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-08-28
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: ASH on 2024-08-09
Yancey Co.
Comment:
Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-08-04
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-08-04
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-08-04
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-07-29
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: Mark Basinger and Donald Zepp on 2024-05-31
Johnston Co.
Comment: 		Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-04-06
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-16
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: David George, Becky Watkins on 2023-09-10
Durham Co.
Comment:
Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: David George on 2023-09-08
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: John Petranka, Chuck Smith on 2023-05-12
Bladen Co.
Comment:
Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-05-01
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-03-31
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2022-09-01
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2022-08-21
Durham Co.
Comment:
Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-05-31
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2022-05-31
Wake Co.
Comment:
Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-08-14
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: David George on 2021-05-27
Durham Co.
Comment:
Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: Morgan Freese on 2021-04-22
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2021-04-12
Cumberland Co.
Comment:
Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2021-04-12
Cumberland Co.
Comment: 		Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2021-04-12
Cumberland Co.
Comment:
Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-04-12
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Paratrea plebeja
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2020-09-08
Wake Co.
Comment: