Apple sphinx facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Apple sphinx
Male dorsal view
Male ventral view
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Sphingidae
Genus:	Sphinx
Species:	S. gordius
Binomial name
Sphinx gordius Cramer, 1780
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Synonyms
Sphinx gordius campestris McDunnough, 1931 Hyloicus gordius oslari Rothschild & Jordan, 1903

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The Apple Sphinx (scientific name: Sphinx gordius) is a type of moth. It belongs to the Sphingidae family, also known as hawk-moths or sphinx moths. This moth was first described by a scientist named Pieter Cramer in 1780.

Where the Apple Sphinx Lives

The Apple Sphinx moth lives in many parts of North America. You can find it in the northern United States and southern Canada. It mostly lives east of the Rocky Mountains. However, it also lives along the east coast, all the way down to Florida. You can even find it in the Rocky Mountains, reaching as far as Colorado.

What the Apple Sphinx Looks Like

The Apple Sphinx is a fairly large moth. Its wingspan (the distance from one wingtip to the other) is usually between 68 and 108 millimeters. That's about 2.7 to 4.3 inches!

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  Female Apple Sphinx, seen from above

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  Female Apple Sphinx, seen from below

What Apple Sphinx Caterpillars Eat

The young form of the moth is called a larva, or caterpillar. These caterpillars like to eat the leaves of several different plants. They often feed on trees like Malus (which includes apple trees) and Fraxinus (ash trees). They also enjoy plants like Rosa (roses) and Vaccinium (which includes blueberries and cranberries).

Types of Apple Sphinx Moths

There are a few different types, or subspecies, of the Apple Sphinx moth. These are:

• Sphinx gordius gordius
• Sphinx gordius oslari (Rothschild & Jordan, 1903) (found in Colorado)