Smerinthus caecus
Encyclopedia
The Northern Eyed Hawkmoth (Smerinthus caecus) is a species of moth
of the Sphingidae
family. It is found in Russia
from St. Petersburg and Moscow
to the Ural Mountains
and across western Siberia
and north-eastern Kazakhstan
to the Altai Mountains. Although it has been reported as far north as Syktyvkar and Yaksha in European Russia, the exact distribution is not known as it is often confused with Smerinthus ocellatus. Outside of Europe, it is found in central and eastern Siberia, the central and southern Sakha Republic, and the Russian Far East
(Askold Island, Sakhalin Island, Kurile Islands and southern Kamchatka). It is also present in Mongolia
, South Korea
, northern Japan
(Hokkaido and northern Honshu) and north-eastern China
(Nei Mongol, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei and Shanxi). There are recent reports from Belarus
, Daghestan and southern Russia, but this last report might be a mistake as it is far from the normal range.
The habitat consists of grassy boreal forests, especially in clearings and along streams and lake fringes.
The wingspan
is 50-65 mm. Adults are on wing from end May/June to early July in one generation. There might be a partial second generation in August if the first adults emerge in May or early June.
The larvae feed on Salix and Populus species.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Sphingidae
Sphingidae
Sphingidae is a family of moths , commonly known as hawk moths, sphinx moths and hornworms, that includes about 1,200 species . It is best represented in the tropics but there are species in every region . They are moderate to large in size and are distinguished among moths for their rapid,...
family. It is found in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
from St. Petersburg and Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
to the Ural Mountains
Ural Mountains
The Ural Mountains , or simply the Urals, are a mountain range that runs approximately from north to south through western Russia, from the coast of the Arctic Ocean to the Ural River and northwestern Kazakhstan. Their eastern side is usually considered the natural boundary between Europe and Asia...
and across western Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
and north-eastern Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
to the Altai Mountains. Although it has been reported as far north as Syktyvkar and Yaksha in European Russia, the exact distribution is not known as it is often confused with Smerinthus ocellatus. Outside of Europe, it is found in central and eastern Siberia, the central and southern Sakha Republic, and the Russian Far East
Russian Far East
Russian Far East is a term that refers to the Russian part of the Far East, i.e., extreme east parts of Russia, between Lake Baikal in Eastern Siberia and the Pacific Ocean...
(Askold Island, Sakhalin Island, Kurile Islands and southern Kamchatka). It is also present in Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, northern Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
(Hokkaido and northern Honshu) and north-eastern China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
(Nei Mongol, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei and Shanxi). There are recent reports from Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
, Daghestan and southern Russia, but this last report might be a mistake as it is far from the normal range.
The habitat consists of grassy boreal forests, especially in clearings and along streams and lake fringes.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is 50-65 mm. Adults are on wing from end May/June to early July in one generation. There might be a partial second generation in August if the first adults emerge in May or early June.
The larvae feed on Salix and Populus species.