Pachysphinx modesta, the modest sphinx or poplar sphinx, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by Thaddeus William Harris in 1839.

Gallery

  • Male, dorsal view
  • Male, ventral view
  • Female, dorsal view
  • Female, ventral view
  • Larva

Distribution

It ranges from the southern United States up and throughout Canada.

Biology

Adults are on the wing from mid-June to mid-July in Canada. In the northern part of the range, there is a single generation, with adults active from May to July. Further south, there may be two generations per year.

The larvae feed on species of poplar, willow, and cottonwood.

External links

  • Lotts, Kelly & Naberhaus, Thomas (2017). . Butterflies and Moths of North America.