Pachysphinx modesta
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Pachysphinx modesta, the modest sphinx or poplar sphinx, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by Thaddeus William Harris in 1839. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Riding Mountain National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | Isle Royale National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Acadia National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Grand Teton National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Modest Sphinx sighting in Austin on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 1392nd most-seen of the 1624 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Modest Sphinx in Austin on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Modest Sphinx sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Modest Sphinx sightings, Austin has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come Dallas (United States, under 5%) and Toronto (Canada, under 5%).
Same family: Sphingidae
The closest relatives of the Modest Sphinx that you can see in Austin (family Sphingidae, Sphinx Moths) are White-Lined Sphinx (about 20%), Walnut Sphinx (about 10%) and Vine Sphinx (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Modest Sphinx is recorded against all the insects logged in Austin (6 verified sightings), 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.
