Conservation Status
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Fairly widespread but uncommon; no concerns.
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Cyclicity
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Adults have been collected in Alberta from mid-June through mid-July.
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Distribution
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Nova Scotia west to central BC, north into the southern edge of the boreal forest and south to northern Mexico. In Alberta, it is found mainly in the dry wooded valleys of the Grasslands and the Aspen Parklands, rarely north into the southern edge of the Boreal forest, and in the southern foothills.
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General Description
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A large (4.5-7.5 cm wingspan) heavy-bodied moth with elongated forewings that are expanded and irregularly scalloped on the outer margin. The forewings are a mix of rich browns, pinks and yellow-orange. The hindwings are yellow-orange and brown, with a large black eyespot with a blue pupil. Body is dark orange brown. The similarly shaped P. excaecatus, is larger and has pink hindwings. Combination of large size, irregular wing-shape and yellow hindwings will separate the Small-eyed sphinx from all other Alberta moths.
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Habitat
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Open woodland and woodland edges, shrub areas, etc.
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Life Cycle
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The Small-eyed sphinx is nocturnal and comes to light. The larvae are solitary defoliators. There is a single brood each year.
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Trophic Strategy
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No Alberta data. Elsewhere reported larval hosts include a wide range of trees and shrubs, including Saskatoon (Amelanchier), various wild cherries (Prunus sp.), willow (Salix), birch (Betula), Grape (Vitis), Hazel (Corylus), hawthorn (Craetagus) and poplars (Populus).
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Paonias myops
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Paonias myops, the small-eyed sphinx, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by James Edward Smith in 1797.
Distribution
It is found from south-eastern Canada to Florida and westward almost to the Pacific Coast.[2] It is also known from Mexico.
Description
The wingspan is 52–69 mm. Adults are more nocturnal than most sphingids; after an initial bout of activity after dusk, they fly throughout the night. Adults are on wing from June to September in eastern Canada. In New Jersey, there are two generations per year and there are four generations in Louisiana.
Subspecies
- Paonias myops myops
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Paonias myops occidentalis Clark, 1919 (Mexico)
References
- Fullard, James H. & Napoleone, Nadia (2001): Diel flight periodicity and the evolution of auditory defences in the Macrolepidoptera. Animal Behaviour 62(2): 349–368. doi:10.1006/anbe.2001.1753 PDF fulltext
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Paonias myops: Brief Summary
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Paonias myops, the small-eyed sphinx, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by James Edward Smith in 1797.
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