Amphion floridensis

The Nessus sphinx has reddish median bands on its hindwings and two prominent horizontal yellow stripes and a tail feather-like hair tuft on abdomen of both sexes.^[2] The wingspan is 37–55 mm.^[3] It has a stout body and reddish-brown upperside wings, and in some individuals the hindwings may have pale to absent median band or a yellow spot on the costal margin.^[4]

• 
  Female
• 
  Female underside
• 
  Male
• 
  Male underside

Found in the Eastern United States from Maine to Florida and as far west as Colorado.^[4]. The Canadian range extends from the southeast corner of Manitoba to Nova Scotia.^[5]

Found in deciduous and mixed woodlands, cultivated orchards, along streams, and in suburbs with sufficient tree cover.^[2][4]

Adults are on wing from April to July in one generation in the north and in two generations in the south.^[6] The adults feed on the nectar of various flowers, including Syringa vulgaris, Geranium robertianum, Kolkwitzia amabilis, Philadelphus coronarius, and Phlox species.^[4]

The larvae feed on Vitis, Ampelopsis, and Capsicum species.^[7]

It was first described as Sphinx nessus by Pieter Cramer in 1777. This name was invalid, because Dru Drury had already used it for another species (Theretra nessus) in 1773. A replacement name was published in Benjamin Preston Clark in 1920.

• 
  As caterpillar (top view)
• 
  As caterpillar (bottom view)
• 
  Flying on a lilac
• 
  Side view