Bug FAQWild Cherry Sphinx
Sphinx drupiferarum · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Sphingidae
Also called: Plum Sphinx, Plum Tree Sphinx
The wild cherry sphinx has a wingspan of about 75 to 115 mm and belongs to the hawk-moth family Sphingidae. It lives in temperate parts of the United States and southern Canada. In Canada it produces one generation each year, flying from June to July, while in the southern part of its range it can have two generations.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Sphinx drupiferarum, known as the wild cherry sphinx, is a moth in the family Sphingidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan ranges from 75 to 115 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found in temperate regions of the United States and southern Canada.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on various trees and shrubs such as wild cherry, other Prunus species, apple, lilac, serviceberry, and hackberry.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active in summer, specifically June to July in Canada, and have an additional flight period in the south.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes temperate parts of the United States and southern Canada.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 38 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Michigan, Massachusetts, Washington, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Idaho, Maine, California.
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
When can I see adult wild cherry sphinx moths?
In Canada they fly from June to July, while in the southern part of their range they may appear twice a year.
Source: Wikipedia
What plants do the larvae eat?
The caterpillars feed on wild cherry and other Prunus species, apple, lilac, serviceberry, and hackberry.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is the wild cherry sphinx found?
It lives in temperate areas of the United States and southern Canada.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Sphingidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphinx_drupiferarum
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.