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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.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 265 - 288 of 795 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 22, 2016
Submitted by: hdad58
Region: Coos County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 23, 2016
Observation date: Jun 17, 2016
Submitted by: Mr Bill E-B
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 19, 2016
Observation date: Jun 23, 2014
Submitted by: devjohnstone
Region: Nova Scotia, Canada
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jun 09, 2016
Observation date: Jun 06, 2016
Submitted by: Dispatcher7
Region: Rensselaer County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jun 06, 2016
Observation date: Jun 03, 2016
Submitted by: Jarchibold
Region: Saratoga County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jun 04, 2016
Observation date: May 31, 2016
Submitted by: edenny
Region: Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 31, 2016
Observation date: Feb 27, 2016
Submitted by: jeffmci9
Region: Texas, Travis County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 10, 2016
Observation date: Jul 17, 2015
Submitted by: CathK
Region: Washington County, Maine, United States
Verified by: lisald100
Verified date: Dec 17, 2015
Observation date: Jun 04, 2015
Submitted by: Ilona L.
Region: Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Nov 18, 2015
Observation date: Jun 14, 2015
Submitted by: Eric Olson
Region: Vilas County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Oct 29, 2015
Observation date: Jul 25, 2015
Submitted by: Quaker state mothing
Region: Coos County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 24, 2015
Observation date: Jul 22, 2014
Submitted by: doublej
Region: McKean County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 12, 2015
Observation date: Jun 08, 2015
Submitted by: Tomanion
Region: Hartford County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: TeaKH
Verified date: Oct 11, 2015
Observation date: Sep 06, 2015
Submitted by: elindsaybrothers46
Region: Osage County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 15, 2015
Observation date: Jul 01, 2013
Submitted by: K Marcus
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 27, 2015
Observation date: Aug 05, 2015
Submitted by: bowski13
Region: Valley County, Idaho, United States
Verified by: Robert Martin
Verified date: Aug 25, 2015
Observation date: Jul 18, 2015
Submitted by: brennaalus
Region: Huron County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Aug 04, 2015
Observation date: Jul 07, 2015
Submitted by: BBG
Region: Somerset County, Maine, United States
Verified by: reutere
Verified date: Jul 23, 2015
Observation date: Jul 21, 2015
Submitted by: richard macleod
Region: Nova Scotia, Canada
Verified by: reutere
Verified date: Jul 23, 2015
Observation date: Jun 30, 2015
Submitted by: beth_bastarache...
Region: New Brunswick, Canada
Verified by: reutere
Verified date: Jul 23, 2015
Observation date: Jul 18, 2015
Submitted by: turtlemoon
Region: Morrison County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jul 21, 2015
Observation date: Jul 17, 2015
Submitted by: Aboover
Region: Knox County, Maine, United States
Verified by: Aboover
Verified date: Jul 18, 2015
Observation date: Jul 17, 2015
Submitted by: Payum.h
Region: Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 17, 2015
Observation date: Jul 11, 2015
Submitted by: BeaLaporte
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 14, 2015
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