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Blinded sphinx
Paonias excaecata (J.E. Smith, 1797)
Family: Sphingidae
Subfamily: Sphinginae
Identification: Outer margins of the forewings are strongly scalloped, with white fringe on the concave part of the scallops. Forewing upperside is pale gray to dark reddish brown; underside has pink at the base. Upperside of hindwing is pale to dark brown with a broad pink patch at the base and a single blue eyespot.
Wing Span: 2 3/16 - 3 3/4 inches (5.5 - 9.5 cm).
Life History: Eggs hatch seven to eight days after they are laid. Fully-grown caterpillars pupate and overwinter in underground chambers.
Flight: . Three broods in Florida from March-October, several broods in Louisiana from March-September, and one or two broods in the rest of the range from May-September.
Caterpillar Hosts: A variety of deciduous trees including basswood (Tilia), willow (Salix), birch (Betula), hawthorn (Crataegus), poplar (Populus), oaks (Quercus), ocean spray (Holodiscus), and cherry (Prunus).
Adult Food: Adults do not feed.
Habitat: Deciduous woods, other wooded habitats, and suburbs.
Range: Throughout most of the United States and southern Canada from Nova Scotia and Maine south to Florida; west to British Columbia and Washington, northern California, and Arizona.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Alternate Scientific Names:
Paonias excaecatus
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 1307 verified sightings
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/received_401545927108480.jpeg?itok=Q9Se2ZBy)
Observation date: Jun 12, 2019
Submitted by: mellielong
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 26, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/67567193_468772027002738_4693474694098059264_n.jpg?itok=ZFwFyW50)
Observation date: Jul 29, 2019
Submitted by: mellielong
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 26, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/2_147.jpg?itok=o3tWlNy2)
Observation date: Jul 18, 2020
Submitted by: vlado47
Region: Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 26, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dscn5455_-_copy.jpg?itok=7X_js9lU)
Observation date: Aug 05, 2023
Submitted by: KABerry
Region: Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 12, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20230804_230443.jpg?itok=MGOD9wqW)
Observation date: Aug 04, 2023
Submitted by: Steven Wilson
Region: Webster County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 05, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/blinded-sphinx-723_8862a.jpg?itok=sOiDP3sR)
Observation date: Jul 26, 2023
Submitted by: catbirdcat
Region: Carroll County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 29, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/paonias_excaecata_230727_0200_2_bloomer_resized.jpg?itok=BtDNrpRc)
Observation date: Jul 27, 2023
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Jul 28, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_0733_0.jpeg?itok=QtH7KWki)
Observation date: Jul 26, 2023
Submitted by: BonnieNatt
Region: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 26, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_3694_0.jpeg?itok=8TvGqx9n)
Observation date: Jul 25, 2023
Submitted by: Zebrahunter
Region: Rockingham County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 25, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_6714.jpeg?itok=YBPSFthG)
Observation date: Jul 24, 2023
Submitted by: LyndaB
Region: New Haven County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 25, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/blinded_sphinx_moth_4.jpg?itok=9dmFnXxR)
Observation date: Jul 20, 2023
Submitted by: rlokar
Region: Lake County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 23, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/nh_-_a_-_dic_paonias_excaecata_blinded_sphinx_dinsmore_road_sidney_me_-_drl_07202023.jpg?itok=XXLpURI6)
Observation date: Jul 20, 2023
Submitted by: DRLem23ME
Region: Kennebec County, Maine, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jul 23, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/pxl_20230715_152311381.jpg?itok=qEWmMg3A)
Observation date: Jul 15, 2023
Submitted by: orchidarea
Region: Sevier County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 16, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/a9b3d87b-edae-4930-89af-8267e687702a.jpeg?itok=098TrGSw)
Observation date: Jul 13, 2023
Submitted by: WiliestLibrarian
Region: New Brunswick, Canada
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jul 14, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_6093.jpeg?itok=X6htKSH-)
Observation date: Jun 21, 2023
Submitted by: T Korzeniecki
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 08, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_8866.jpeg?itok=HvHL9QHE)
Observation date: Jul 06, 2023
Submitted by: Suze125
Region: Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 07, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/paonias_excaecata_230702_jf_img_7315.jpg?itok=OFbdxLi_)
Observation date: Jul 02, 2023
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Jul 04, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_9651_5.jpg?itok=umsrS8Kz)
Observation date: Jun 30, 2023
Submitted by: trever
Region: Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Jul 03, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_4366.jpeg?itok=bSPHDLAx)
Observation date: Jun 24, 2023
Submitted by: Ajaarsma
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 24, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_2553.jpeg?itok=GdnLMH6V)
Observation date: Jun 24, 2023
Submitted by: TJ in Derry
Region: Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 24, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20230611_013540.jpg?itok=qEDhDkLx)
Observation date: Jun 10, 2023
Submitted by: ActiasLunaTn
Region: Cumberland County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 12, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20230610_173811.jpg?itok=xbWM9YUE)
Observation date: Jun 10, 2023
Submitted by: dcolb121
Region: Snohomish County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 11, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_20230610_123716240.jpg?itok=6_e7gYTa)
Observation date: Jun 10, 2023
Submitted by: Ilanaiolivigni3
Region: Pierce County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 11, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/45d560d0-0af6-4ccd-aef3-0441104eb0e5.jpeg?itok=JwfZRNWF)
Observation date: Jun 07, 2023
Submitted by: Brankin21
Region: Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 10, 2023
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