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.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 97 - 120 of 479 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 06, 2020
Submitted by: Rviezel
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 06, 2020
Observation date: Jun 22, 2020
Submitted by: Bugfinders
Region: Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 02, 2020
Observation date: Jun 28, 2018
Submitted by: Sue Gregoire
Region: Schuyler County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jan 03, 2020
Observation date: Aug 31, 2019
Submitted by: Jeanette Pratt-Tello
Region: Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 01, 2019
Observation date: Aug 24, 2019
Submitted by: Joe Bartok
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 26, 2019
Observation date: Aug 02, 2019
Submitted by: Amy McD
Region: Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 03, 2019
Observation date: Jul 20, 2019
Submitted by: Chrysalis Scryer
Region: Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 24, 2019
Observation date: Jul 20, 2019
Submitted by: conservation yooper
Region: Outagamie County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Jul 24, 2019
Observation date: Jul 14, 2019
Submitted by: ATower
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 15, 2019
Observation date: Jul 09, 2019
Submitted by: Joe Bartok
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 12, 2019
Observation date: Jun 20, 2013
Submitted by: Doctor _Y
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 10, 2019
Observation date: Aug 20, 2018
Submitted by: davidlitchke
Region: Itasca County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Dec 24, 2018
Observation date: Jul 10, 2018
Submitted by: AnthonyColette
Region: Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Aug 28, 2018
Observation date: Jul 26, 2018
Submitted by: mothwhisperer
Region: Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Aug 07, 2018
Observation date: Jul 30, 2018
Submitted by: adamlein
Region: Douglas County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Aug 01, 2018
Observation date: Jul 06, 2018
Submitted by: Ken Richardson
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 16, 2018
Observation date: Jun 16, 2018
Submitted by: Dori
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 16, 2018
Observation date: Jun 03, 2018
Submitted by: Doug Backlund
Region: Custer County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jun 07, 2018
Observation date: Nov 07, 2017
Submitted by: vonbemil
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: kellyrichers
Verified date: May 29, 2018
Observation date: Jul 29, 2017
Submitted by: jkoch
Region: Florence County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Dec 11, 2017
Observation date: Aug 08, 2017
Submitted by: robmilstein
Region: Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Dec 11, 2017
Observation date: Jul 20, 2017
Submitted by: Espro
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: chalicerae
Verified date: Dec 04, 2017
Observation date: Aug 24, 2017
Submitted by: Manning0811
Region: Saskatchewan, Canada
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Aug 30, 2017
Observation date: Jul 23, 2017
Submitted by: Winter
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 07, 2017
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