Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Franck's sphinx
Sphinx franckii Neumoegen, 1893


Family: Sphingidae
Subfamily: Sphinginae
Identification: Forewing is gray along the costal half, yellowish brown on the rest of the wing; with black dashes and a black line along the outer margin. Hindwing is black with a narrow brown median band and base.
Wing Span: 3 15/16 - 5 1/16 inches (10 - 12.8 cm).
Life History: Females lay eggs singly on the host plant. Newly-hatched caterpillars eat at least part of their eggshells. Fully-grown caterpillars pupate in underground cells.
Flight: . One flight from June-July in the north, sometimes a partial second brood from August-September in the south.
Caterpillar Hosts: Elms (Ulmus) and ashes (Fraxinus).
Adult Food: Probably flower nectar.
Habitat: Not reported.
Range: New York south to northern Florida, west to Missouri and Louisiana.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL