Azalea Sphinx

No concerns.

Adults are on the wing in Alberta in June and early July.

Throughout much of eastern North America, west across Canada in the Boreal forest to extreme north western Alberta. In Alberta, widespread in the boreal forest region, from Lac la Biche north to the Lake Athabasca area and west to Zama.

A large (5.7-7.5 cm. wingspan) narrow-winged moth with rusty orange-brown wings and body. The forewing is crossed by several wide, rather indistinct darker pink or pink-purple bands. The hindwing is rusty orange and unmarked. It is unlikely to be mistaken for any other moth in Alberta. Until recently known as Darapsa pholus (Cramer)

Open woodlands, edges and clearings.

This large sphinx is apparently restricted to the boreal forest area in Alberta. Although only recently discovered in the province, it appears to be a widely distributed resident throughout the region. Most specimens have been taken at lights at night, but it has also been taken while visiting flowers during the day.

No Alberta data, but several of the hosts reported elsewhere are available here. Elsewhere, Viburnum, Vaccinium, Kalmia, Gaylussacia, Azalea and Sour-gum.

Darapsa choerilus, the azalea sphinx, is a moth of the family Sphingidae first described by Pieter Cramer in 1779. It is found in the United States and southern Canada east of the Rocky Mountains.

The wingspan is 57–75 mm.

The larvae feed on azalea and Viburnum species.