Achemon Sphinx

Achemon Sphinx

Eumorpha achemon

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at San Francisco

In 3 days ~10%

9 Verified sightings at San Francisco
August Best month

About the Achemon Sphinx

Eumorpha achemon, the Achemon sphinx, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by Dru Drury in 1773. It is native to North America, where it is known from most of the United States, southern Canada, and northern Mexico. It is rare or absent in the Pacific Northwest, Great Basin, and Southeastern United States except Florida.

The wingspan is 87–97 mm. It can be distinguished from all other Eumorpha species by the hindwing upperside being almost uniformly pale pink from the base to the diffuse, dark brown submarginal band. Larvae are of three forms: light green, reddish orange, and tan to brown.

Adults are on wing from June to August in one generation in the northern part of the range. There are two generations with adults on wing from May to August in the south. Adults feed on the nectar of various flowers, including Lonicera japonica, Petunia × atkinsiana, Philadelphus coronarius, and Phlox species. It is one of five main pollinators of the rare orchid Platanthera praeclara.

They are known to feed on Parthenocissus quinquefolia and Ampelopsis species. They are often found on wild and cultivated Vitaceae,... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability

More parks will be added in future updates.

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Denver 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
2 Sacramento 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
3 Phoenix 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
4 Detroit 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
5 Mesa 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
6 Dallas 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
7 Los Angeles 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
8 San Diego 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
9 Washington 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
10 Chicago 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an Achemon Sphinx in San Francisco?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an Achemon Sphinx sighting in San Francisco on a given day, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 518th most-seen of the 737 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see an Achemon Sphinx in San Francisco?

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report an Achemon Sphinx in San Francisco on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

Is San Francisco the best place to see an Achemon Sphinx?

11th of 11

Of the 11 cities where we can rate Achemon Sphinx sightings, San Francisco ranks 11th at under 5%. The best odds are in Denver (United States, about 10%), Sacramento (United States, about 10%) and Phoenix (United States, under 5%).

Where does the Achemon Sphinx sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Achemon Sphinx is recorded against all the insects logged in San Francisco (9 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.

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