Sphinx poecila
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
Sphinx poecila, the poecila sphinx, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. It is found from Newfoundland and Maine south to Pennsylvania and west to Michigan, northeastern Illinois and Wisconsin. The wingspan is 68–95 mm. The larvae feed on Rosa carolina, Picea glauca, Larix laricina and Alnus, Malus, Myrica and Vaccinium species. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cape Breton Highlands National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | Acadia National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Apple Sphinx sighting in Cape Breton Highlands National Park on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 57th most-seen of the 68 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Apple Sphinx in Cape Breton Highlands National Park on a given day, against under 5% in August and October–May, the lowest months.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Northern Apple Sphinx sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Northern Apple Sphinx sightings, Cape Breton Highlands National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Acadia National Park (United States, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Northern Apple Sphinx is recorded against all the insects logged in Cape Breton Highlands National Park (5 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
