Sphinx canadensis

Sphinx canadensis, the Canadian sphinx, is a member of the family Sphingidae that is found the northeastern United States and as north as Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The species was first described by Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1875.

Canadian sphinx
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Sphingidae
Genus:	Sphinx
Species:	S. canadensis
Binomial name
Sphinx canadensis (Boisduval, 1875)[1]
Synonyms
Sphinx plota Strecker, 1875[2]

The adult's wingspan is between 70 and 85 mm.[3] It is often confused with the hermit sphinx (Sphinx eremitus) throughout their overlaying areas, but unlike S. eremitus it has no white spot. The forewing of this species is gray brown with black streaks along the veins, interrupted by white lines along the outer margin. The hindwing is patterned with black and white bands.[4]

It was previously thought that the larvae of this species fed on both white ash (Fraxinus americana) and blueberry (Vaccinium), but recent observations suggest that the only larval host plant is black ash (Fraxinus nigra) which grows at the edges of swamps. Phlox (Phlox species) and bouncing bet (Saponaria officinalis) are the preferred nectar sources. Adults fly much later in the year than other sphinx moth species; most adults are collected in very late July or early August. The black patches on the sides of the larvae are thought to mimic the curled leaves of black ash.

References

1. "Sphinx canadensis Boisduval 1875 - EOL". Retrieved 2009-10-23.
2. "CATE Creating a Taxonomic eScience - Sphingidae". Cate-sphingidae.org. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
3. Cotinis (July 24, 2018). "Species Sphinx canadensis - Canadian Sphinx - Hodges#7807". BugGuide. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
4. Lotts, Kelly & Naberhaus, Thomas (2017). "Canadian sphinx Sphinx canadensis Boisduval, 1875". Butterflies and Moths of North America. Retrieved January 6, 2019.