Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Canadian sphinx
Sphinx canadensis Boisduval, 1875


Family: Sphingidae
Subfamily: Sphinginae
Identification: Forewing is gray-brown or yellow-gray with black streaks along and between the veins and an interrupted white line along the outer margin. Hindwing is black with white bands.
Wing Span: 2 3/4 - 3 3/8 inches (7 - 8.5 cm).
Life History: Fully-grown caterpillars pupate in underground burrows.
Flight: . One brood from May-September in the northeast, two broods from May-June and August-September in Arkansas.
Caterpillar Hosts: White ash (Fraxinus americana) and blueberry (Vaccinium).
Adult Food: Probably flower nectar.
Habitat: Not reported.
Range: Newfoundland west to western Ontario; south to New York, Kentucky, and Arkansas.
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