Sphinx asellus courtesy of Bruce Walsh.

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke at oehlkew@islandtelecom.com
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

TAXONOMY: Family: Sphingidae, Latreille, 1802 Subfamily: Sphinginae, Latreille, 1802 Tribe: Sphingini, Latreille, 1802 Genus: Sphinx Linnaeus, 1758 ........... Species: asellus (Rothschild & Jordan, 1903)

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DISTRIBUTION:

The Asella Sphinx Moth, Sphinx asellus (Wing span: 3 1/4 - 3 7/8 inches (8 - 9.9 cm)), flies in pinyon-juniper woodland and similar arid situations in Colorado (specimen type locality) and Nevada, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico.

The upperside of the forewing is pale silver-gray with a series of black dashes, a white patch at the tip, and a white stripe along the outer margin. The upperside of the hindwing is black with blurry white bands.

Sphinx asellus is very similar to Sphinx chersis, but asellus is smaller, paler, and has more white above the dark streaks of the forewing apex.

FLIGHT TIMES:

Sphinx asellus adults probably fly as a single brood from from May-July.

ECLOSION:

Pupae probably wiggle to surface from subterranean chambers just prior to eclosion.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Females call in the males with a pheromone released from a gland at the tip of the abdomen. Adults nectar at a variety of flowers.

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE:

Larval hosts are Manzanita and Arctostaphylos of the Ericaceae family.

Image courtesy of Bruce Walsh.

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