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 121 - 144 of 479 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 15, 2017
Submitted by: J. Scarlett
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 16, 2017
Observation date: Jul 06, 2017
Submitted by: Whiskers2017
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 07, 2017
Observation date: Jul 05, 2017
Submitted by: jp_calgary
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 06, 2017
Observation date: Jun 20, 2017
Submitted by: CathK
Region: Albany County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jun 22, 2017
Observation date: Mar 29, 2017
Submitted by: uhmorphous
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: kellyrichers
Verified date: May 12, 2017
Observation date: Sep 29, 2016
Submitted by: Pokey
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: kellyrichers
Verified date: Oct 12, 2016
Observation date: Aug 06, 2016
Submitted by: Dvargo1
Region: Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 18, 2016
Observation date: Aug 01, 2016
Submitted by: mnappel
Region: Dakota County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Aug 10, 2016
Observation date: Aug 01, 2016
Submitted by: Joe Bartok
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 02, 2016
Observation date: Jul 30, 2016
Submitted by: Joe Bartok
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 30, 2016
Observation date: Apr 23, 2016
Submitted by: poproxy239
Region: Jackson County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Robert Martin
Verified date: Jul 11, 2016
Observation date: Jul 19, 2014
Submitted by: devjohnstone
Region: Nova Scotia, Canada
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jun 09, 2016
Observation date: Jun 26, 2015
Submitted by: jenn.mullen
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: Jim Edsall
Verified date: Dec 09, 2015
Observation date: Sep 02, 2014
Submitted by: DianeLH
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: Jim Edsall
Verified date: Dec 05, 2015
Observation date: Jul 31, 2012
Submitted by: Joe Bartok
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: TeaKH
Verified date: Nov 28, 2015
Observation date: Aug 13, 2008
Submitted by: Joe Bartok
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 14, 2015
Observation date: Oct 11, 2015
Submitted by: AllisonA1981
Region: Will County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 11, 2015
Observation date: Jul 30, 2015
Submitted by: edenny
Region: Calaveras County, California, United States
Verified by: Robert Martin
Verified date: Aug 31, 2015
Observation date: Aug 06, 2015
Submitted by: That man
Region: Santa Clara County, California, United States
Verified by: Robert Martin
Verified date: Aug 31, 2015
Observation date: Jul 28, 2015
Submitted by: edenny
Region: Calaveras County, California, United States
Verified by: Robert Martin
Verified date: Aug 31, 2015
Observation date: Aug 18, 2015
Submitted by: Dkr1975
Region: Calumet County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Aug 18, 2015
Observation date: Aug 02, 2015
Submitted by: Gdanford
Region: Summit County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 04, 2015
Observation date: Jul 05, 2015
Submitted by: marls
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 29, 2015
Observation date: Jul 04, 2015
Submitted by: juliannathomps
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 04, 2015
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