Bug FAQClemens' Sphinx
Sphinx luscitiosa · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Sphingidae
Also called: Clemen's Sphinx, luscious willow sphinx
Clemens' hawkmoth has a wingspan of about 56 to 80 mm. It lives across much of North America, from the Atlantic provinces and New Jersey west to the northern plains and up into the Yukon. Adults appear once a year in early summer, flying from June through July.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The species is called Sphinx luscitiosa, also known as Clemens' hawkmoth, and belongs to the sphinx moth family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan ranges from 56 mm to 80 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars feed on species of willow, poplar, apple, ash, bayberry, and birch.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
There is one generation each year, with adults on the wing from June to July.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active during the early summer months of June and July.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range covers much of Canada and the United States, extending from the Atlantic coast to the western plains and up into the northern territories.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 18 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Maine.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are Clemens' hawkmoths active?
Adults fly in early summer, typically from June through July.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the larvae eat?
The caterpillars feed on willow, poplar, apple, ash, bayberry, and birch plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Sphingidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphinx_luscitiosa
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-27 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-27.