Sphinx kalmiae, the laurel sphinx, is a moth of the family Sphingidae.

It is found in the temperate parts of the United States and southern Canada east of the Great Plains, in the north it occurs west of the Rocky Mountains.

Distribution

Description

In Canada, there is one generation per year with adults on wing in June and July. More to the south, there are two generations per year with adults on wing from late May to June and again from July to August. There may be as many as six generations in Louisiana.
 The larvae feed on Chionanthus, Kalmia, Syringa and Fraxinus species. They are blue-green or yellow-green with seven diagonal lines that are white edged with black above and usually yellow below.

Biology

English entomologist James Edward Smith named this moth after Kalmia, the plant on which its caterpillar was first observed.

Taxonomy

harmful

Sphinx kalmiae, also known as the Laurel Sphinx moth, is considered a tree pest because its larvae feed on the leaves of various tree species, including laurel, cherry, and ash, which can cause defoliation and damage to the trees.

tree pest

Sphinx kalmiae can be considered garden pests because their larvae feed on the leaves of various garden plants, including ornamental shrubs and flowering plants, which can cause damage and defoliation, impacting the aesthetics and health of the garden.

garden pest

Sphinx kalmiae can be considered crop pests because their larvae have been known to feed on the leaves of certain crop plants, such as potatoes and tomatoes, which can result in reduced crop yield and quality.

crop pest

Sphinx kalmiae is considered a pest because its larvae feed on the leaves of trees, garden plants, and certain crops, causing damage, defoliation, and potential economic losses for farmers and gardeners.

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What does a laurel sphinx eat?

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