''Darapsa versicolor'', the hydrangea sphinx, is a

moth Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of w ...

species of the family

Sphingidae The Sphingidae are a family of moths (Lepidoptera) called sphinx moths, also colloquially known as hawk moths, with many of their caterpillars known as “hornworms”; it includes about 1,450 species. It is best represented in the tropics, bu ...

that inhabits eastern North America, often in wetlands. It was first described by

Thaddeus William Harris Thaddeus William Harris (November 12, 1795 – January 16, 1856) was an American entomologist and librarian. His focus on insect life cycles and interactions with plants was influential in broadening American entomological studies beyond a narrow ...

in 1839. Its wingspan can reach 58 to 80 mm, and its forewings are green brown with curved white patches. In the northern portion of its range there is one flight from June to July and in the southern range it is seen during the warm months. The caterpillar of this species feeds on wild hydrangea (''

Hydrangea arborescens ''Hydrangea arborescens'', commonly known as smooth hydrangea, wild hydrangea, sevenbark, or in some cases, sheep flower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Hydrangeaceae. It is a small- to medium-sized, multi-stemmed, deciduous shru ...

''), buttonbush (''

Cephalanthus occidentalis ''Cephalanthus occidentalis'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae that is native to eastern and southern North America. Common names include buttonbush, common buttonbush, button-willow, buck brush, and honey-bells. Descripti ...

''), and water-willow (''

Decodon verticillatus ''Decodon verticillatus'', the sole species in the genus ''Decodon'', is a flowering plant in the family Lythraceae. It is commonly known as waterwillow or swamp loosestrife. It is native to wetlands in the eastern half of the United States and C ...

'').

References

Moths of North America Macroglossini Moths described in 1839 {{Macroglossini-stub