Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Walnut sphinx
Amorpha juglandis (J.E. Smith, 1797)


Family: Sphingidae
Subfamily: Sphinginae
Identification: Highly variable. Wings of an individual may be all one color or may have several colors, ranging from pale to dark brown, and may have a white or pink tinge. Patterns range from faint to pronounced.
Wing Span: 1 3/4 - 2 15/16 inches (4.5 - 7.5 cm).
Life History: Caterpillars make a squeaking sound when disturbed.
Flight: One brood in the north from May-August, two broods in the south from March-October.
Caterpillar Hosts: Walnut and butternut (Juglans), hickory (Carya), alder (Alnus), beech (Fagus), hazelnut (Corylus), and hop-hornbeam (Ostrya).
Adult Food: Adults do not feed.
Habitat: Deciduous woodlands.
Range: Maine south to Florida, west to North Dakota and west Texas, and south to Nuevo Leon, Mexico.
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.
Comments: NULL
Alternate Scientific Names:
Laothoe juglandis