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 145 - 168 of 480 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 04, 2015
Submitted by: juliannathomps
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 04, 2015
Observation date: Jul 29, 2014
Submitted by: ShaneTanquary
Region: El Paso County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 27, 2015
Observation date: Mar 17, 2015
Submitted by: klgraves
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 20, 2015
Observation date: Jun 20, 2014
Submitted by: coreyk
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Robert Martin
Verified date: Feb 03, 2015
Observation date: Aug 20, 2014
Submitted by: JohnRoosenberg
Region: Schoharie County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jan 25, 2015
Observation date: Jul 10, 2013
Submitted by: Appy-Brown
Region: Grand Isle County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: TeaKH
Verified date: Jan 20, 2015
Observation date: Sep 05, 2014
Submitted by: Pegger
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Nov 21, 2014
Observation date: Aug 30, 2014
Submitted by: rangreen
Region: Washington County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Sep 14, 2014
Observation date: Aug 18, 2014
Submitted by: Brianvolk20
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Robert Martin
Verified date: Sep 09, 2014
Observation date: Sep 08, 2014
Submitted by: big sky
Region: Sheridan County, Montana, United States
Verified by: Robert Martin
Verified date: Sep 09, 2014
Observation date: Sep 08, 2014
Submitted by: klgraves
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 08, 2014
Observation date: Jul 27, 2014
Submitted by: chloball
Region: Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Sep 04, 2014
Observation date: Jul 31, 2014
Submitted by: BBkat
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 18, 2014
Observation date: Jun 07, 2014
Submitted by: brp
Region: Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 31, 2014
Observation date: Jul 21, 2014
Submitted by: organicmama
Region: Lyon County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Robert Martin
Verified date: Jul 27, 2014
Observation date: Jul 19, 2014
Submitted by: nicholas ramsey
Region: Missoula County, Montana, United States
Verified by: Robert Martin
Verified date: Jul 24, 2014
Observation date: Jul 02, 2014
Submitted by: jenniferbannerman
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Josiah Gilbert
Verified date: Jul 03, 2014
Observation date: Sep 28, 2013
Submitted by: Beefsoup
Region: Washington County, Utah, United States
Verified by: Robert Martin
Verified date: Feb 20, 2014
Observation date: Aug 16, 2013
Submitted by: MSSYZ125
Region: Monroe County, New York, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Feb 12, 2014
Observation date: Aug 30, 2013
Submitted by: colmar3
Region: Hancock County, Maine, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Feb 07, 2014
Observation date: Jul 06, 2013
Submitted by: kfbrady
Region: New Jersey, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Feb 05, 2014
Observation date: Aug 16, 2011
Submitted by: rachychica
Region: Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jan 16, 2014
Observation date: Aug 24, 2012
Submitted by: liagallegos
Region: Coconino County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jan 12, 2014
Observation date: Oct 08, 2012
Submitted by: frylock221
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jan 12, 2014
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