Wild cherry sphinx facts for kids
Sphinx drupiferarum, also known as the wild cherry sphinx, is a type of moth. It belongs to a group of moths called Sphingidae, which are often called hawk moths or sphinx moths. This moth was first officially named and described by a scientist named James Edward Smith way back in 1797.
Quick facts for kids Wild cherry sphinx |
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| Sphinx drupiferarum | |
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| Sphinx drupiferarum ♂ △ | |
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Where They Live
You can find the wild cherry sphinx moth in the cooler, more mild parts of the United States. They also live in southern Canada.
What They Look Like
These moths are quite large! Their wingspan, which is the distance from one wingtip to the other, can be between 75 and 115 millimeters. That's about the length of a standard pencil.
In Canada, these moths usually have one "generation" each year. This means they complete their life cycle from egg to adult once a year. The adult moths are typically seen flying around from June to July. In warmer southern areas, they can have two generations in a single year.
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A female Sphinx drupiferarum
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The underside of a female Sphinx drupiferarum
Life Cycle and Food
Like all moths, the wild cherry sphinx starts its life as a tiny egg. The egg hatches into a larva, which is a caterpillar. These caterpillars are quite hungry!
They love to munch on the leaves of several different plants. Their favorite foods include trees from the Prunus family, like wild cherry trees (including Prunus serotina). They also eat leaves from apple trees (Malus), lilac bushes (Syringa vulgaris), and other plants like Amelanchier nantuckensis and Celtis occidentalis.
