Bug FAQApple Sphinxes
Sphinx gordius · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Sphingidae
Also called: Apple Sphinx, Apple Sphinx Moth
The apple sphinx is a moth with a wingspan between about 68 and 108 mm. It lives in the northern United States and southern Canada, mainly east of the Rockies and along the east coast down to Florida, as well as in the Rockies to Colorado. Its caterpillars feed on apple, rose, blueberry and ash species.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The scientific name of the apple sphinx is Sphinx gordius.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults have a wingspan ranging from 68 mm to 108 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae feed on species of apple (Malus), rose (Rosa), blueberry (Vaccinium) and ash (Fraxinus).
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range includes the northern United States and southern Canada, primarily east of the Rockies and extending to the east coast and the Rocky Mountains.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 26 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Michigan, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Minnesota, Colorado, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Connecticut.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What plants do apple sphinx caterpillars eat?
The caterpillars feed on apple, rose, blueberry and ash species.
Source: Wikipedia
How big is an adult apple sphinx?
An adult’s wingspan is between about 68 and 108 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is the apple sphinx found in North America?
It occurs in the northern United States and southern Canada, mainly east of the Rockies and along the east coast down to Florida, plus the Rockies to Colorado.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Sphingidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphinx_gordius
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.