Host Plants : Clerodendron infortunatum , Tectona grandis , Vitex negundo . Subfamily AMBULICINAE Genus

Sphingidae is a family of moths (Lepidoptera), commonly called hawk moths, sphinx moths and hornworms, and are known to travel long distances on migration; some species have been encountered at midsea by ships (Kehimkar, 1997). They are moderate to large in size and are distinguished among other moths by their rapid, sustained flying ability (ScobIe, 1995).The stout and cigar shaped body and long and narrow forewings are clearly adaptated for rapid flight. The possession of long proboscis makes them ideal and distinct pollinators for flowers with long tubular corolla (Barlow, 1982). The family comprises of roughly 1,354 species reported worldwide, out of which about 204 species are distributed in India (Bell & Scott, 1937; D' Abrera, 1986).


INTRODUCTION
Sphingidae is a family of moths (Lepidoptera), commonly called hawk moths, sphinx moths and hornworms, and are known to travel long distances on migration; some species have been encountered at midsea by ships (Kehimkar, 1997).They are moderate to large in size and are distinguished among other moths by their rapid, sustained flying ability (ScobIe, 1995).The stout and cigar shaped body and long and narrow forewings are clearly adaptated for rapid flight.The possession of long proboscis makes them ideal and distinct pollinators for flowers with long tubular corolla (Barlow, 1982).The family comprises of roughly 1,354 species reported worldwide, out of which about 204 species are distributed in India (Bell & Scott, 1937;D' Abrera, 1986).
The earlier studies revealed that little works have been done on the taxonomy, ecology and distribution of sphingidae in India and practically very little information is available from Bihar and lharkhand (Bell The diagnostic characters, occurrence, distribution etc. dealt in this paper are based on Beeson (1941), Bell and Scott (1937), MandaI andMaulik (1991, 1997)  Diagnosis : Head and thorax blackish, powdered with white, yellow and blue-grey scales.The skull mark on the dorsum of the thorax more conspicuous.Fore wing blackish, powdered with white, yellow and bluish grey scales.Hind wing upper side with the basal third marked with black.Abdomen black with a broad, interrupted, grey-blue dorsal stripe and small yellow side patches on the four proximal segments.Diagnosis : Head, thorax and abdomen and fore wing grey; dark brown bands along sides of palpi and thorax meeting on metathorax, where there are blue and yellow scales; abdomen with a blackish dorsal stripe and brown subdorsal segmental patches.Fore wing with dark oblique lines from costa; hind wing brown, with a black patch at anal angle.Rainy season specimens are usually dark.Wingspan: 110 mm.

Material Examined
Occurrence: September-December.
Elsewhere: China, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Host Plants: Cordia oblique.Diagnosis: Can be distinguished from all others of the genus by the thinness of the thoracic stripe over the tegula and by the series of subbasal spots on fore wing upper side.Body reddish brown, thoracic stripe very thin.The fore wing with a series of four subbasal spots, green edged with white.Hind wing yellow pale or reddish brown.Diagnosis : The smallest species of the genus, and markings different from those of all the other species.Fore wing distinctly angulate at R3, often with traces of teeth.Upper side tawny cinnamon to chestnutbrown; an oblique distal band diffuse posteriorly.Hind Diagnosis : Head and thorax greenish brown, with a white lateral stripe from pulpus to end of thorax.Fore wing brown with an apical line joining a discalline with which it forms a single dark line from apex to inner margin.Abdomen brown with a black side patch at base.Hind wing black, shading to brown at apex.Under side ochreous.

&
Scott, 1937; Beeson, 1941; Lefroy & Howlett, 1971).In the present work attempts have been made during 2007 and 2008 to collect and study sphingid moths from Dalma wildlife sanctuary which is one of the important conservation areas in lharkhand.The studies have revealed the presence of 17 species of sphingid moths under 12 genera which are reported here for the first time from Dalma wildlife sanctuary.