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 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

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

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