Attributes of Sphinx chersis
Great ash sphinx
Sphinx chersis (Hübner, 1823)
Family: Sphingidae
Subfamily: Sphinginae
Identification: Forewing is soft dark gray to blue-gray with a series of black dashes, one of which reaches the wing tip. Hindwing is black with blurry pale gray bands.
Wing Span: 3 9/16 - 5 1/8 inches (9 - 13 cm).
Life History: Fully-grown caterpillars pupate in burrows in the soil. Caterpillars from the second generation pupate and overwinter in their burrows.
Flight: . Two broods in the south from May-June and from July-August.
Caterpillar Hosts: A variety of plants including lilac (Syringa vulgaris), quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), ash (Fraxinus), and privet (Ligustrum).
Adult Food: Deep-throated flowers such as Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), bouncing bet (Saponaria officinalis), dogbane (Apocynum), and evening primrose (Onagraceae).
Habitat: A wide variety of woodlands and arid western scrublands.
Range: Mexico north through most of the United States, but rare in the Gulf States.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Taxonomy Notes:
Images of Sphinx chersis
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The map below displays all verified sighting records in the BAMONA database for this species. Each record is indicated with a yellow dot. The orange dots on the map provide access to information about the 400 most recently verified sightings of this species. In some instances, there are several records at the same location. Use the table view to access these records.
Instructions: Click on the map and move your mouse to pan.
Zoom by using the plus [+] and minus [-] on the left side of the map.
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The fifty most recently verified sightings are below. See more recently verified sightings of all species.
| Observation Date | Submitter | Region |
Verified Date |
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July 27, 2012 | Jeremy Martin | Allegany County, New York, United States | April 27, 2013 | Details |
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August 10, 2012 | UlshaRS | Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States | March 12, 2013 | Details |
| May 24, 2010 | curtis.lehman (Paul Dennehy) | Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, United States | February 05, 2013 | Details | |
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August 22, 2002 | tjantscher | Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States | January 08, 2013 | Details |
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July 09, 2011 | oldmanbim | Providence County, Rhode Island, United States | December 23, 2012 | Details |
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August 13, 2011 | BNorth | Kent County, Rhode Island, United States | December 23, 2012 | Details |
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September 13, 2012 | shellell | Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States | November 12, 2012 | Details |
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July 24, 2012 | frawley28 | Ontario, Canada | September 17, 2012 | Details |
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August 07, 2012 | LisaV77 | Ulster County, New York, United States | September 17, 2012 | Details |
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July 24, 2012 | Kyle Jones | Windsor County, Vermont, United States | September 10, 2012 | Details |
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August 20, 2011 | Dirty Twin | Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States | September 09, 2012 | Details |
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August 25, 2012 | curtis.lehman (Mark Bowers) | Fayette County, Pennsylvania, United States | August 28, 2012 | Details |
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July 24, 2012 | curtis.lehman (Jerry Skinner) | Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States | July 24, 2012 | Details |
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June 13, 2012 | laura6liles | Craighead County, Arkansas, United States | July 19, 2012 | Details |
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July 12, 2012 | denis gagne | Ontario, Canada | July 12, 2012 | Details |
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July 05, 2012 | lonecrow | Ontario, Canada | July 09, 2012 | Details |
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July 02, 2012 | Centurion.LXXVI | Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States | July 05, 2012 | Details |
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May 20, 2012 | wanderingfool | Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States | July 02, 2012 | Details |
| July 29, 1961 | curtis.lehman (Rick Gillmore) | Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States | February 22, 2012 | Details | |
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August 01, 2011 | curtis.lehman (Steven Shaffer) | Perry County, Pennsylvania, United States | September 05, 2011 | Details |
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August 27, 2011 | 35wailin | Ontario, Canada | September 02, 2011 | Details |
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August 04, 2011 | brookemarsh | Riverside County, California, United States | August 31, 2011 | Details |
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August 05, 2011 | debress | Outagamie County, Wisconsin, United States | August 14, 2011 | Details |
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July 02, 2011 | curtis.lehman | Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States | July 23, 2011 | Details |
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July 22, 2011 | dhsmall | Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States | July 22, 2011 | Details |
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May 14, 2011 | Crystal Kenney | Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States | June 21, 2011 | Details |
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June 11, 2011 | loribugs | Darke County, Ohio, United States | June 17, 2011 | Details |
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July 20, 2010 | dhsmall | Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States | March 17, 2011 | Details |
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September 20, 2010 | Amanda Fulton (Amanda Fulton) | Medina County, Ohio, United States | March 04, 2011 | Details |
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August 10, 2002 | drkilmer | Frederick County, Maryland, United States | January 21, 2011 | Details |
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August 29, 1993 | anthony.thomas | New Brunswick, Canada | January 21, 2011 | Details |
| June 21, 2007 | dave priestley (David I. Priestley) | Ontario, Canada | December 31, 2010 | Details | |
| June 01, 2006 | legacy.reporter (Tammy Knuth) | Ontario, Canada | December 31, 2010 | Details | |
| August 01, 2010 | legacy.reporter (Margaret Oneill) | Nobles County, Minnesota, United States | December 31, 2010 | Details | |
| June 26, 2010 | legacy.reporter (David McWilliams) | Mahoning County, Massachusetts, United States | December 31, 2010 | Details | |
| December 31, 1969 | legacy.reporter (Jerry McWilliams) | Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States | December 31, 2010 | Details | |
| July 11, 2006 | legacy.reporter (Karen Campbell) | Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States | December 31, 2010 | Details | |
| August 16, 2008 | legacy.reporter (Ken Lebo) | Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States | January 05, 2010 | Details | |
| July 21, 2002 | legacy.reporter (David Larson) | Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States | October 21, 2009 | Details | |
| January 01, 1913 | legacy.reporter | St. Louis City County, Missouri, United States | March 11, 2009 | Details | |
| July 25, 1946 | legacy.reporter (Elder, William H.) | Boone County, Missouri, United States | March 11, 2009 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter (Brower, A.E.) | Greene County, Missouri, United States | March 11, 2009 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter (Letsinger, Rae) | Jasper County, Missouri, United States | March 11, 2009 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter (Willis, Daryl) | Livingston County, Missouri, United States | March 11, 2009 | Details | |
| January 01, 1973 | legacy.reporter (Brumley, Curtis) | Cole County, Missouri, United States | March 11, 2009 | Details | |
| January 01, 1979 | legacy.reporter (Poe, John) | Wright County, Missouri, United States | March 11, 2009 | Details | |
| June 27, 1968 | legacy.reporter (Mansell, M.) | Jackson County, Missouri, United States | March 11, 2009 | Details | |
| September 30, 1970 | legacy.reporter (Myler, G.) | Johnson County, Missouri, United States | March 11, 2009 | Details | |
| January 01, 1967 | legacy.reporter (Hogan, Kerry) | St. Louis City County, Missouri, United States | March 11, 2009 | Details | |
| August 10, 1949 | legacy.reporter (Craig, W.S.) | St Charles County, Missouri, United States | March 11, 2009 | Details |
