Smerinthus saliceti
Encyclopedia
The Salicet Sphinx is a moth
of the Sphingidae
family. It is found in valleys and along streamsides from Mexico City
north to western Texas
, southern Arizona
and extreme southern California
.
The wingspan
is 67-89 mm. The forewing outer margin is wavy and the upperside of the forewing is gray-brown with distinct dark and light bands. The upperside of the hindwing is mostly red with a yellow tanned outer margin and a blue spot which is usually divided by a V-shaped black line.
Adults are on wing from April to September, probably in two generations.
The larvae feed on Salix and Populus species. There are two colour morphs, pale green and lime green.
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 valleys and along streamsides from Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
north to western Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, southern Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
and extreme southern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
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 67-89 mm. The forewing outer margin is wavy and the upperside of the forewing is gray-brown with distinct dark and light bands. The upperside of the hindwing is mostly red with a yellow tanned outer margin and a blue spot which is usually divided by a V-shaped black line.
Adults are on wing from April to September, probably in two generations.
The larvae feed on Salix and Populus species. There are two colour morphs, pale green and lime green.
External links
- Salicet Sphinx Moths of America