Bug FAQFig Sphinx
Pachylia ficus · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Sphingidae
Source: Wikipedia
The Fig Sphinx has a wingspan of about 110 to 140 mm and orange-brown wings. It lives from Uruguay through Central America up to the southern United States, occasionally reaching Arizona and Texas. Adults sip nectar from flowers such as Asystasia and the ghost orchid, while the caterpillars feed on many fig species and Artocarpus.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Its wings are orange-brown and measure 110 to 140 mm across.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan ranges from 4 ⅜ to 5 ½ inches (110 to 140 mm).
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found across South America, Central America, and the southern tip of the United States, sometimes straying into Arizona and Texas.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars have been recorded eating leaves of many fig species such as Ficus aurea, F. carica, F. microcarpa, and also Artocarpus integrifolius.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
In tropical areas, peninsular Florida and southern Texas, the species can have several generations each year. Pupation occurs inside a cocoon woven among leaf litter.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range extends from Uruguay through Central America to the southern United States, with occasional records in Arizona and Texas.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 5 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Florida, Texas, Arizona, California, Louisiana.
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 do adult Fig Sphinx moths eat?
Adults drink nectar from flowers such as Asystasia gangetica and the ghost orchid.
Source: Wikipedia
What plants do the caterpillars feed on?
The larvae feed on the leaves of many fig species and on Artocarpus integrifolius.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find Fig Sphinx moths?
They occur from Uruguay through Central America up to the southern United States, sometimes reaching Arizona and Texas.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Sphingidae)
White-lined SphinxHyles lineataDamages trees, gardens or crops
Eurasian Hummingbird HawkmothMacroglossum stellatarum
Snowberry ClearwingHemaris diffinis
Carolina SphinxManduca sextaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Hummingbird ClearwingHemaris thysbeDamages trees, gardens or crops
Elephant HawkmothDeilephila elpenorSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pachylia_ficus
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.