DISTRIBUTION:

The Apple Sphinx Moth, Sphinx gordius (Wing span: 2 11/16 - 4 1/4 inches (6.8 - 10.8 cm)), flies in coastal barrens, bogs, and deciduous forests from southeastern New York and New Jersey south to central Florida; west through southern Illinois, Colorado, and Utah; north through the Rocky Mountains to Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Virginia is the specimen type locality.

Colouration and markings are highly variable from one specimen to another. The fringes on forewing are mostly black with some white; those on the hindwing are mostly white with a few black patches. The upperside of the forewing ranges from brown with black borders through brownish gray with paler borders to pale gray with no borders. Dashes, submarginal line, and cell spot are usually weak. The upperside of the hindwing is gray to yellow-gray with a black border and a black median line which ranges from distinct to diffuse. Image courtesy of John Himmelman, June 28, 2002, Connecticut.

FLIGHT TIMES:

Sphinx gordius adults fly as a single brood from May-September in most of the range, from February-April in Florida.

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 deep-throated flowers including including dogbane (Apocynum), honeysuckle (Lonicera), lilac (Syringa), evening primrose (Onagraceae), bouncing bet (Saponaria officinalis), and phlox (Phlox).

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE:

Larval hosts are apple (Malus), sweetfern (Myrica), Carolina rose (Rosa carolina), blueberry and huckleberry (Vaccinium), white spruce (Picea glauca), American larch (Larix laricina), and alder (Alnus).

Sphinx gordius (Sept 1, 2003), heavily parasitized, Musquodoboit Trail,
near Halifax, Nova Scotia, courtesy of Patrick Turner.

Sphinx gordius courtesy/copyright David Wagner.

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