Wheat Stem Sawfly vs White-Lined Sphinx Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Wheat Stem Sawfly White-Lined Sphinx Moth
Scientific Name Cephus cinctus Hyles lineata
Order Hymenoptera Lepidoptera
Family Cephidae Sphingidae
Size 8-13 mm (adult) 65-90 mm wingspan
Habitat Deserts & Drylands Deserts & Drylands
Diet Omnivores Nectar Feeders
Regions North America Throughout North America from Canada to Central America
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Wheat Stem Sawfly

A major pest of wheat and barley on the northern Great Plains of North America. Larvae bore inside stems, weakening them and causing lodging.

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Did You Know?

Larvae girdle the stem base before pupating, causing the stem to fall over at harvest.

White-Lined Sphinx Moth

A common sphinx moth with bold white stripes on its forewings and a pink-banded hindwing. It hovers at flowers like a hummingbird and is active at dusk.

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Did You Know?

During outbreak years, its caterpillars can be so numerous they cross roads in large numbers and are called armyworms.