Bug FAQBanded Sphinx
Eumorpha fasciatus · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Sphingidae
Also called: Lesser Vine Sphinx
Source: Wikipedia
The banded sphinx lives from northern Argentina through Central America up into southern California, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Florida and the Carolinas. Adults sip nectar from flowers such as Crinum and petunias, while the larvae eat leaves of plants like grapes, magnolia and fuchsia. In warm regions adults are seen all year, but farther north they appear in two summer generations.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Adult moths feed on nectar from flowers such as Crinum, Catharanthus roseus, petunias and Saponaria officinalis. Caterpillars eat the leaves of many plants, including Ludwigia species, Cissus verticillata, fuchsia hybrids, magnolia, Virginia creeper and grape vines.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Pupation occurs in underground burrows.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
In tropical areas adults are on the wing year-round; in the northern part of the range there are at least two generations, flying from late May to July and again from late August to October.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is found from northern Argentina and Brazil through Central America into the southern United States, including California, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Florida and the Carolinas.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 29 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What plants do the caterpillars eat?
The larvae feed on leaves of Ludwigia, Cissus, fuchsia, magnolia, Virginia creeper and grape vines.
Source: Wikipedia
When can I see adult banded sphinx moths?
In the tropics they are active all year, while farther north they appear in two summer periods from late May to July and again from late August to October.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is the banded sphinx found in the United States?
It occurs in southern California, southern Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Florida and the Carolinas.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Sphingidae)
White-lined SphinxHyles lineataDamages trees, gardens or crops
Eurasian Hummingbird HawkmothMacroglossum stellatarum
Snowberry ClearwingHemaris diffinis
Carolina SphinxManduca sextaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Hummingbird ClearwingHemaris thysbeDamages trees, gardens or crops
Elephant HawkmothDeilephila elpenorSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eumorpha_fasciatus
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.