Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFSphingidae Members: Aellopos Members: 3 NC Records

Aellopos titan (Cramer, 1777) - Titan Sphinx

Aellopos titanAellopos titan
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Bombycoidea		 Family:
Sphingidae		Subfamily:
Macroglossinae		Tribe:
Dilophonotini		P3 Number:
890170		 MONA Number:
7849.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD, iNat Search                                                                                 
Wingspan: 5.5 - 6.5 cm (Covell, 1984)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Apparently a rare stray in North Carolina, our only two records for the species are from the Piedmont.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Aellopos titanAlamance 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 Hanover 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.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Larval Host Plants: Wiker et al. (2010) list Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) as a host plant for the species in Illinois. It is unclear what hosts might be utilized in North Carolina, if the species is in fact established in the state. - View
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [SNA]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This species appears to be a rare stray in North Carolina, up from its main range in Florida and the Gulf Coast.

 Photo Gallery for Aellopos titan - Titan Sphinx

Photos: 5
Aellopos titan
Recorded by: Linda Watson on 2021-08-18
Wake Co.
Comment: iNat record - Very fast and large moth visiting many flowers on a Abelia chinensis. It was about 1.5 inches long. David George saw my observation on iNaturalist and suggested that I submit it here. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/91642535 		Aellopos titan
Recorded by: Linda Watson on 2021-08-18
Wake Co.
Comment: iNat record - Very fast and large moth visiting many flowers on a Abelia chinensis. It was about 1.5 inches long. David George saw my observation on iNaturalist and suggested that I submit it here. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/91642535
Aellopos titan
Recorded by: Linda Watson on 2021-08-18
Wake Co.
Comment: iNat record - Very fast and large moth visiting many flowers on a Abelia chinensis. It was about 1.5 inches long. David George saw my observation on iNaturalist and suggested that I submit it here. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/91642535 		Aellopos titan
Recorded by: Lori Owenby and Dwayne Martin on 2018-11-08
Catawba Co.
Comment: Riverbend Park - Conover
Aellopos titan
Recorded by: Lori Owenby and Dwayne Martin on 2018-11-08
Catawba Co.
Comment: Riverbend Park - Conover https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/18269559