Sphecodina abbottii
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Sphecodina abbottii, or Abbott's sphinx, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by William Swainson in 1821. It lives in central and eastern North America, but is not known to be present in most of Florida.
Adults fly in May and June in the north, but have several generations in the south. Larvae feed on grapes (Vitis), Parthenocissus quinquefolia and Ampelopsis. The underwings have a strong yellow band and in flight, the moth buzzes, appearing like a bee. The forewings are violet grey when fresh and have a "barklike pattern of swirling black lines" according to David Beadle and Seabrooke Leckie. At rest, they raise their abdomens and are well camouflaged on tree bark, looking like a broken branch.
Early instars are a pale greenish white, with at first a horn, but later a brown knob near the hind end. Final instars (75 mm in length) come in two patterns: one has brown bands such that there are ten large pale green spots on the back and an eyespot on the rear. This form may mimic grapes. Others are completely brown, with a wood-grain patterning, and with the rear eyespot. In the final instar the knob looks... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montreal | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | Toronto | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 3 | Boston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Minneapolis [Saint Paul] | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Chicago | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an Abbott's Sphinx sighting in New York City on a given day, based on 16 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 804th most-seen of the 1623 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 an Abbott's Sphinx in New York City on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Abbott's 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 7 cities where we can rate Abbott's Sphinx sightings, New York City ranks 7th at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Montreal (Canada, under 5%), Toronto (Canada, under 5%) and Boston (United States, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Abbott's Sphinx is recorded against all the insects logged in New York City (16 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.
