Wow - I just had to see what Bill Oehlke had to say about this guy. I didn't know they were in the same genus, manduca, as the tomato and tobacco. You are right in that they use a myriad of hosts and Bill lists the most common to those that they have reports of use as well.

This cat of yours must be around 3rd instar? Not sure, but he also indicates that the cat has a white horn with a blue tip, which perhaps yours will develop in a later instar?? Apparently, the cat forms its pupae on its back, too. Fascinating.

Keep me posted on its progress! Way to go!

Susan

Here is a link that might be useful: Manduca rustica

Sherry,

That's a beautiful cat!

randy

Thanks for the link, Susan! I'm not sure what instar it's in, but 3rd sounds right. I'll sure keep you posted.
Thanks, Randy! When it gets full size, assuming it's a rustic sphinx, it'll be even prettier. The blue gray coloring looks beautiful with the purple.
Sherry

P.S. I released my first Snowberry today and it was sooo cute! One of my Pandoras was parasitized so clearly I had to remove it. I just hope the other one is okay ao please cross your fingers!

Wow, Sherry,
that one is gorgeous.....Please keep us posted, I just love to learn new stuff... ;-)
Susan, congrats on your Snowberry Clearwing, they sure are pretty..
Greetings
Susanne(SUE)

Funny Sherry, I hadn't noticed your post about the rustic sphinx when I posted mine last night. Maybe this is a busy time for them. Would be fun to find more, although I can't figure out what larval host they use in my yard - I'm keeping my eye out though!

It was cool letting that one free last night! Like a bird!

Could be a busy time - fall isn't too far off!
The cat is eating a lot, and I'm beginning to notice some of the blue/gray coloring beside the purple lines. 'Can't wait til it gets full sized!
I'll definitely give this one some leaves to burrow into so I can keep it myself - it may or may not overwinter, I don't know the habits of rustic sphinxes.
Sherry

Beautiful caterpillar!

Thanks!
My sphinx cat "disappeared" today, and I found it underneath the paper towels and foam rubber. I offered it some more food, but it refused and kept wandering. I noticed that it was yellowish, the color that many sphinx and big silk moths turn before they make their pupa. Well, DUH, it finally occurred to me that that's just what my cat was trying to do, so I got a container, put some leaves in it plus the small glass jar with the stem of yaupon in it that it was eating, put the cat in it, and it proceeded to go under the leaves and I assume, pupate.
So, obviously it couldn't be a rustic sphinx, it's not nearly big enough, and I think the horn color is wrong. I looked through the sphinx moths on Bill Oehlke's site, and the page on the pawpaw sphinx had a picture of a cat from North Carolina that looks just like mine. It listed pawpaw as a host, plus lots of hollies, like Ilex glabra, I. decidua and I. coriacea, all of which grow on my property - he didn't list I. vomitoria, but it's very much like I. decidua, just evergreen, not deciduous. The horn is purple or red and blue, like mine also.
Interestingly, the pictures of adult pawpaw sphinx moths are variable in coloring, some reddish brown and others very dark brown/black. The website said that in Louisiana they have two generations, the last one being in September, so I guess that's what this one is, meaning that my cat should overwinter.
I've linked the Bill Oehlke site.
Sherry

Here is a link that might be useful: PawPaw Sphinx

I really like to use Bill's sphingidae database is organized state by state making it somewhat easier to use, and also because he is so thorough about host plant info, etc. I can't imagine what people did before the Internet!

I did wonder due to the horn color. I'm sure you get a ton more moths in Mississippi than I do. I believe the Pawpaw sphinx is found in Eastern Oklahoma where the pawpaw trees grow, more so than in Central Oklahoma where I am located.

Great find, though.

I had to dispose of my other Pandora as it was also parasitized......grrrr! However, the 1st instar cat that I rescued and did not have any identifying markings, molted yesterday and has the sphericals indicative of the Pandora sphinx. I think, I don't know for sure, that I got it before it became fair game for the parasitizing wasps.

Susan

I'm sorry about your pandora sphinx, Susan. :(
My book, A Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North American by Covell, says in the short pawpaw sphinx section, "FW dark brown with white dusting and black lines much like a miniature rustic sphinx."
So the adult is a smaller version of the rustic sphinx, just like the cat!
Sherry

I thought I had a sphinx cat, but now looking at this post not sure. Anyway it pupated and so will see what comes out! It was eating duranta? Anyone find these on duranta?
kelly

I had Tobacco Hornworms eating my duranta. I moved them to some tomato plants!