Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFSphingidae Members:
Sphinx Members:
3 NC Records

Sphinx drupiferarum J.E. Smith, 1797 - Wild Cherry Sphinx

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Bombycoidea Family: SphingidaeSubfamily: SphinginaeTribe: SphinginiP3 Number: 890123.00 MONA Number: 7812.00
Comments: This large genus of some 27 species ranges from England to Japan and down through the Americas. There are approximately 14 resident species in North America and at least 5 in North Carolina. Two very different larval types occur in the genus and it is likely that Sphinx is composed of more than one genus.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1948); Hodges (1971); Tuttle (2007)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1948); Wagner (2005); Tuttle (2007)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A large Sphinx Moth with forewings with a dark gray central shade running from the base to the apex, bounded by pale brownish gray on the costa and outer margin. This species looks like a very large, dark S. gordius but the forewing areas that are light in S. gordius are dark in S. drupiferarum and vice-versa. Sexes are similar.
Wingspan: 9 - 11 cm (Covell, 1984)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Larvae are similar to those of other members of this genus with a green body and seven white oblique stripes along its sides (see Forbes, 1948, and Wagner, 2005 for details).
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Known only from historic records in the eastern Piedmont and Sandhills.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

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