Common Name: Western Eyed Sphinx

Ecology and Life History:
This moth is found on the western coast of the US and Canada. In the southern part of its range, it can be on the wing from as early as January or February through until July or August. In most places it is found from April to August. This species is highly attracted to light. As it doesn’t feed as an adult, bait is ineffective. While there is no sexual dimorphism in patterning, the females may be slightly larger and have rounder abdomens. Eggs are laid on the leaves of the host, and caterpillars develop in the leaves and branches, they do not leave the host. While typically the adult moth is gray, in some instances it can be brown in color.

Habitat and Searching for Larvae: {COMING SOON}
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Rearing Notes:
Eggs are obtained easily by allowing a female to lay in a paper bag, Styrofoam cooler, or other suitable container. Alternatively a sprig of hostplant in a screen cage works. Like other Smerinthus species, this is a specialist on Salix and Populus, though it seems they are not too picky about species. Too much humidity will cause disease and death, as will housing larvae in large groups with inadequate air flow. Rearing larvae in screen cages or in sleeves is ideal to prevent these issues. Pupation can be done using the paper towel method, or by allowing larvae to bury into substrate.

Adult Description
This is a medium sized gray to brown Sphingidae with forewings up to 47mm in length. The forewings are not typically overly maculated, and like Smerinthus astarte, appear smooth. This species is extremely similar to both S. astarte and S. cerisyi, but neither are found within it’s range, S. astarte doesn’t cross the Rocky Mountains, and S. cerisyi is only found in the Eastern USA and doesn’t overlap.

Larval Description
L1: The larva is small and green with a red caudal horn.
L2: The larva is pale green with white granulose stippling, the subdorsal line is yellow and the last abdominal line running from the caudal horn to abdominal segment 9 is thick and cream to yellow colored. The horn is slightly longer and a yellowish color, the head capsule is pointed.
L4: The larva can be pale green to lime green. The last abdominal stripe running from caudal horn to A9 is still thick and much yellower. The subdorsal line is the same color. The stippling coloration is white to cream.
L5: The larva is similar to L4, the head capsule is less pointed. The caudal horn is much stubbier, with blue coloration.

Hostplants:

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(C) Jennifer Vanderwoerd

The gallery to the left contains photos of Smerinthus ophthalmica adults. If you have a photo that you would like to submit to us, please contact us.

The gallery to the right contains photos of Smerinthus ophthalmica larval and pupal stages. If you have a photo that you would like to submit to us, please contact us.