Happy Pollinator Week: June 21-27, 2021! Butterflies and moths are pollinators of many flowering plants.
Did you know? The Hummingbird Clearwing (Hemaris thysbe) hovers in flight and uses its long tongue to sip nectar from flowers.
Modest sphinx
Pachysphinx modesta (Harris, 1839)
Family: Sphingidae
Subfamily: Sphinginae
Identification: Upperside of forewing is gray with the basal third lighter; sometimes the outer third also is light, leaving just the median band dark. Upperside of hindwing is gray with a crimson patch and an inward-pointing blue-black triangle near the outer margin.
Wing Span: 3 - 4 11/16 inches (7.6 - 12 cm).
Life History: Females lay eggs on leaves of the hosts, and the eggs hatch in about 9 days. Fully-grown caterpillars pupate and overwinter in shallow burrows in the ground.
Flight: . One brood in the north from June-July, two broods in the south from May-September.
Caterpillar Hosts: Poplar, aspen, and cottonwood (Populus) and willow (Salix).
Adult Food: Adults do not feed.
Habitat: Riparian areas and moist mountainsides.
Range: Maine south to north Florida; west to Washington, Oregon, Utah, New Mexico, and Texas. Also Baja California Norte.
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
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 693 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 18, 2021
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Lake County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Jun 19, 2021
Observation date: Jun 18, 2021
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Lake County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Jun 19, 2021
Observation date: Jun 12, 2021
Submitted by: blueracer
Region: Ashland County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: Ohio97
Verified date: Jun 13, 2021
Observation date: Jun 03, 2021
Submitted by: npacadia
Region: Hancock County, Maine, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jun 04, 2021
Observation date: Jun 25, 2020
Submitted by: Lppaille
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: May 28, 2021
Observation date: May 25, 2021
Submitted by: Jezzproctor
Region: Androscoggin County, Maine, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: May 26, 2021
Observation date: Jun 13, 2020
Submitted by: SJCraig
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Mar 22, 2021
Observation date: Jul 30, 2019
Submitted by: Bea Kohlhaas
Region: New Brunswick, Canada
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Mar 20, 2021
Observation date: Jun 19, 2019
Submitted by: aqk
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Mar 19, 2021
Observation date: Jul 08, 2016
Submitted by: duebici
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Mar 17, 2021
Observation date: Jun 16, 2016
Submitted by: LunaMary
Region: New Brunswick, Canada
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Mar 14, 2021
Observation date: Jul 01, 2016
Submitted by: Seanmdaigle1
Region: Aroostook County, Maine, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Mar 11, 2021
Observation date: Jul 15, 2018
Submitted by: actarheel
Region: Aroostook County, Maine, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Mar 06, 2021
Observation date: Jul 26, 2020
Submitted by: daniellevoight
Region: Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Feb 27, 2021
Observation date: Jul 22, 2019
Submitted by: marysward
Region: Penobscot County, Maine, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Feb 22, 2021
Observation date: Jun 20, 2020
Submitted by: Andrew.the.Innkeeper
Region: Piscataquis County, Maine, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Feb 16, 2021
Observation date: Jul 17, 2018
Submitted by: Levinef
Region: Emmet County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 04, 2021
Observation date: Jun 03, 2019
Submitted by: Fg2003
Region: Calhoun County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 03, 2021
Observation date: Jun 28, 2015
Submitted by: solson
Region: Chippewa County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 03, 2021
Observation date: Jul 06, 2019
Submitted by: jeffery47
Region: Livingston County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 03, 2021
Observation date: Jul 08, 2019
Submitted by: jebAdiah
Region: Chippewa County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 03, 2021
Observation date: Jul 12, 2019
Submitted by: Haasome611
Region: Alcona County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 03, 2021
Observation date: Aug 03, 2019
Submitted by: Woodsfarer
Region: Midland County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 02, 2021
Observation date: Jun 08, 2018
Submitted by: gbodker
Region: Chippewa County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 02, 2021
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