SPHINGIDAE of Australia Hawk Moths BOMBYCOIDEA

Don Herbison-Evans, (donherbisonevans@yahoo.com) and Stella Crossley

SPHINGIDAE eggs

SPHINGIDAE caterpillars

SPHINGIDAE pupae

SPHINGIDAE moths

SPHINGIDAE undersides

SPHINGIDAE forewings

The SPHINGIDAE are called Hawk Moths because they can fly very fast, and can also hover in flight. They use this latter ability to sip nectar from flowers using their long haustellum (tongue), when they fly in the evening. They are large moths with long narrow forewings, and smaller hindwings. When at rest, they hold their wings over the body like a tent.

Some common species of the 87 named species of SPHINGIDAE occurring in Australia are:

Acosmeryx anceus
Acosmeryx cinnamomea
Acosmeryx miskini : Miskin's Hawk Moth

Agrius convolvuli : Convolvulus Hawk Moth
Agrius godarti : Godart's Hawk Moth

Ambulyx dohertyi : Doherty's Hawk Moth
Ambulyx wildei : Wilde's Hawk Moth

Amplypterus panopus : Mango Hawk Moth

Angonyx papuana

Cephonodes australis : Australian Coffee Hawk Moth
Cephonodes cunninghami : Cunningham's Bee Hawk
Cephonodes janus : Janus Bee Hawk
Cephonodes kingii : Gardenia Hawk Moth

Cerberonoton severina

Chelacnema ochra

Cizara ardeniae : Coprosma Hawk Moth

Coenotes arida
Coenotes eremophilae

Coequosa australasiae : Triangle Hawk Moth
Coequosa triangularis : Double-headed Hawk Moth

Daphnis dohertyi
Daphnis moorei : Moore's Hawk Moth
Daphnis placida
Daphnis protrudens

Eupanacra splendens

Gnathothlibus australiensis
Gnathothlibus eras : White-brow Hawk Moth

Hippotion boerhaviae
Hippotion brennus
Hippotion celerio : Vine Hawk Moth
Hippotion johanna
Hippotion rosetta
Hippotion scrofa : Coprosma Hawk Moth
Hippotion velox

Hopliocnema brachycera : Desert Hawk Moth
Hopliocnema lacunosa

Hyles livornicoides : Australian Striped Hawk Moth

Imber tropicus

Leucomonia bethia

Macroglossum alcedo
Macroglossum corythus
Macroglossum dohertyi
Macroglossum errans : Australian Hummingbird Hawkmoth
Macroglossum joannisi : Joannis' Hawk Moth
Macroglossum micacea
Macroglossum nubilum
Macroglossum papuanum
Macroglossum prometheus

Macroglossum queenslandi
Macroglossum rectans
Macroglossum tenebrosa
Macroglossum vacillans

Nephele hespera
Nephele subvaria

Pseudangonyx excellens

Psilogramma argos : Argos Hawk Moth
Psilogramma casuarinae : Southern Privet Hawk Moth
Psilogramma exigua
Psilogramma maxmouldsi : Max's Hawk Moth
Psilogramma menephron
Psilogramma papuensis

Psilogramma penumbra

Synoecha marmorata

Tetrachroa edwardsi

Theretra celata
Theretra indistincta
Theretra inornata
Theretra latreillii Latreille's Hawk Moth
Theretra margarita
Theretra nessus : Yam Hawk Moth
Theretra oldenlandiae : Impatiens Hawk Moth
Theretra queenslandi
Theretra silhetensis : Brown-banded Hunter Hawkmoth
Theretra tryoni
Theretra turneri Turner's Hawk Moth

Zacria vojtechi : Vojtěch's Hawk Moth

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Further reading:

Max S. Moulds, James P. Tuttle and David Lane. Hawkmoths of Australia, Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera Series, Volume 13

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(updated 31 May 2014, 24 February 2025)