Bug FAQLettered Sphinx
Deidamia inscriptum · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Sphingidae
Also called: Lettered Sphinx Moth
The lettered sphinx is a moth in the hawk-moth family (Sphingidae). Its wingspan ranges from about 45 to 70 mm. It lives in parts of the United States and Canada, from Florida and Mississippi up through Michigan, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Ontario and Quebec.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Deidamia inscriptum, called the lettered sphinx, belongs to the moth family Sphingidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The adult’s wingspan measures between 45 and 70 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on vines such as grape (Vitis), Ampelopsis and Parthenocissus species.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes the eastern United States and parts of eastern Canada.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 37 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Ohio, Florida, Massachusetts.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
How large does the lettered sphinx get?
Adults have a wingspan of roughly 45 to 70 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I expect to see this moth?
It occurs from Florida and Mississippi up through Michigan, Wisconsin, South Carolina, and into Ontario and Quebec.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the larvae eat?
The caterpillars feed on vines in the grape family, including Vitis, Ampelopsis and Parthenocissus.
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/Deidamia_inscriptum
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.