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 Dallas on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 1213th most-seen of the 1412 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 Dallas 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.
Among the best
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Modest Sphinx sightings, Dallas ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Austin (United States, under 5%).
Same family: Sphingidae
The closest relatives of the Modest Sphinx that you can see in Dallas (family Sphingidae, Sphinx Moths) are White-Lined Sphinx (about 10%), Walnut Sphinx (about 10%) and Snowberry Clearwing (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 Dallas (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.
