Tersa Sphinx
Xylophanes tersa (Linnaeus, 1771)
Family: Sphingidae
Subfamily: Macroglossinae
Identification: Forewing upperside is pale brown with lavender-gray at the base and dark brown lengthwise lines throughout. Hindwing upperside is dark brown with a band of whitish wedge-shaped marks.
Wing Span: 2 3/8 - 3 1/8 inches (6 - 8 cm).
Life History: Adults begin feeding at sunset.
Flight: . One brood in the north from May-October, several broods in Florida and Louisiana from February-November.
Caterpillar Hosts: Smooth buttonplant (Spermacoce glabra), starclusters (Pentas species), Borreria, Catalpa, and Manettia species.
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including honeysuckle (Lonicera).
Habitat: Not reported.
Range: Massachusetts south to south Florida; west to Nebraska, New Mexico, and southern Arizona; south through Mexico, the West Indies, and Central America to Argentina.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Get your BAMONA Gear!
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 926 verified sightings
Observation date: Oct 16, 2023
Submitted by: Rhealynn
Region: Texas, Rains County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 23, 2023
Observation date: Sep 28, 2023
Submitted by: gennyboy
Region: Gordon County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Oct 05, 2023
Observation date: Sep 28, 2023
Submitted by: ScreaminScott1
Region: Paulding County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Oct 05, 2023
Observation date: Sep 23, 2023
Submitted by: Ralph Unger
Region: Harris County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 03, 2023
Observation date: Sep 21, 2023
Submitted by: Tommie Rogers
Region: Marion County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 22, 2023
Observation date: Sep 16, 2023
Submitted by: Janellednesbit@...
Region: Harnett County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 16, 2023
Observation date: Aug 31, 2023
Submitted by: JA2023
Region: Volusia County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 01, 2023
Observation date: Jul 24, 2023
Submitted by: LukaCustoms
Region: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 25, 2023
Observation date: Jul 12, 2023
Submitted by: JamieLynn
Region: Aiken County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 13, 2023
Observation date: Mar 14, 2023
Submitted by: PinkKong369
Region: Harris County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 03, 2023
Observation date: Aug 27, 2016
Submitted by: greenesnake@yah...
Region: Madison County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Mar 12, 2023
Observation date: Oct 04, 2016
Submitted by: greenesnake@yah...
Region: Gibson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Mar 12, 2023
Observation date: Nov 19, 2016
Submitted by: beatoanita
Region: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Feb 02, 2023
Observation date: Nov 13, 2021
Submitted by: JamesD2021
Region: St. James Parish, Jamaica
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 31, 2023
Observation date: Oct 21, 2016
Submitted by: Joe Lafferty
Region: United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 28, 2023
Observation date: Oct 03, 2016
Submitted by: michaeljc57
Region: United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 28, 2023
Observation date: Jan 11, 2015
Submitted by: mikeakresh
Region: The Bahamas
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 28, 2023
Observation date: Mar 20, 2014
Submitted by: mikeakresh
Region: The Bahamas
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 28, 2023
Observation date: Sep 18, 2016
Submitted by: Gr8pmpkn
Region: United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 27, 2023
Observation date: Aug 11, 2016
Submitted by: Marcela GB
Region: United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 27, 2023
Observation date: Jun 26, 2016
Submitted by: Tim Norriss
Region: Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 23, 2023
Observation date: Dec 14, 2022
Submitted by: lesliecapozzi
Region: Sarasota County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Dec 15, 2022
Observation date: Aug 26, 2016
Submitted by: Charles_Mills
Region: Hempstead County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: owlbyr
Verified date: Nov 17, 2022
Observation date: Nov 09, 2022
Submitted by: devont.martin
Region: Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 10, 2022
- ‹ previous
- 2 of 39
- next ›