Sphinx sequoiae

Sphinx sequoiae, the sequoia sphinx, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. It is found in the United States from Oregon south through California, Nevada, and south-eastern Utah to Arizona and further south into Mexico's northern Baja California.[2]

Sequoia sphinx
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Sphingidae
Genus:
Sphinx
Species:
S. sequoiae
Binomial name
Sphinx sequoiae
Synonyms
  • Sphinx dollii engelhardti Clark, 1919

The wingspan is 48–68 mm. There are two forms, a dark form (occurring from Oregon to central California) with blue-gray forewings with black dashes and a pale form (occurring in the juniper belt of the rest of the range) which is pale gray with only a faint blue tint.

There is a one generation per year with adults on wing from May to August. They feed on the nectar of various flowers, including Prunus virginiana var. demissa and Aesculus californica.

The larvae feed on Juniperus californica, Juniperus osteosperma and possibly also Calocedrus decurrens.

References
  1. "CATE Creating a Taxonomic eScience - Sphingidae". Cate-sphingidae.org. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
  2. "Silkmoths". Silkmoths.bizland.com. Archived from the original on 2015-04-19. Retrieved 2011-11-01.


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