Sequoia sphinx Sphinx sequoiae Boisduval, 1868

Family: Sphingidae

Subfamily: Sphinginae

Identification: The dark form, occurring from Oregon to central California, has blue-gray forewings with black dashes along the middle. The pale form, in the juniper belt of the rest of the range, is very pale gray with only a faint blue tint.

Wing Span: 1 7/8 - 2 11/16 inches (4.8 - 6.8 cm).

Life History: Fully-grown caterpillars pupate and overwinter in underground burrows.

Flight: . One brood from May-August.

Caterpillar Hosts: California juniper (Juniperus californica) and Rocky Mountain juniper (J. osteosperma).

Adult Food: Nectar from flowers of western chokecherry (Prunus virginiana var. demissa) and California buckeye (Aesculus californica).

Habitat: Desert and pinyon-juniper woodland.

Range: Oregon south through California, Nevada, and southeastern Utah to Arizona; south into northern Baja California.

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

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