Article
Deidamia Inscriptum (lettered Sphinx Moth) Caterpillars Feeding on Oxydendrum Arboreum (sourwood) and Their Predation by Black Bears in Northeast Tennessee
Southeastern Naturalist
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
9-1-2016
Description
An outbreak of Deidamia inscriptum (Lettered Sphinx Moth) caterpillars was noted in northeast Tennessee where Oxydendrum arboreum (Sourwood) trees were defoliated. Nearly all published literature and online resources list only plants in the grape family (Vitaceae) as larval food plants. Food-plant preference trials using fresh leaves of 3 woody plant species showed that Deidamiacaterpillars from this region had a preference for Sourwood over Parthenocissus quinquefolia(Virginia Creeper), and rejected Acer rubrum (Red Maple), a non-host species. Ursus americanus(Black Bear) were feeding on the caterpillars as evidenced by bent and broken Sourwood saplings bearing claw marks and by abundant sphingid remains in bear scat.
Disciplines
Citation Information
Foster Levy, David L. Wagner and Elaine S. Walker. "Deidamia Inscriptum (lettered Sphinx Moth) Caterpillars Feeding on Oxydendrum Arboreum (sourwood) and Their Predation by Black Bears in Northeast Tennessee" Southeastern Naturalist Vol. 15 Iss. 3 (2016) p. 394 - 402 ISSN: 1528-7092 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/foster-levy/3/
Copyright of Southeastern Naturalist is the property of Eagle Hill Institute. This document was published with permission from the publisher. It was originally published in the Southern Naturalist.