It can be found from Maine, west to Iowa, south to Florida, the Gulf States and Texas.

Where multiple broods occur, pupae will eclose in two weeks, or when conditions are suitable.

They are a dull brown color lacking the show-off appearance of its larval stages.

There is also a "pale" phase where the black striping is not as prevalent or missing altogether and a shade of white has replaced it.

Like most other Sphingidae, Ceratomia catalpae will burrow into the ground after its fifth and final instar in order to pupate.

The larvae will go into a "wandering" stage where it leaves the catalpa tree and climbs to the ground to find a place to bury itself so that it may pupate.

The research of Stephen L. Peele, curator of the Florida Mycology Research Center, indicates that catalpa trees might be completely defoliated multiple times during a single summer yet still survive and return to full health, a process which, Peele says, no other tree could survive.