Sphecodina abbottii
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
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 |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Abbott's Sphinx sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, based on 24 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 217th most-seen of the 822 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April to July
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report an Abbott's Sphinx in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, against under 5% in August to March, the lowest months.
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.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Abbott's Sphinx sightings, Great Smoky Mountains National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Shenandoah National Park (United States, under 5%).
Same family: Sphingidae
The closest relatives of the Abbott's Sphinx that you can see in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (family Sphingidae, Sphinx Moths) are Virginia Creeper Sphinx (about 10%), Blinded Sphinx (about 10%) and Walnut Sphinx (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Abbott's Sphinx is recorded against all the insects logged in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (24 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.
