Cypress Sphinx
Common NameCypress Sphinx
Scientific NameIsoparce cupressi
FamilySphingidae
SubfamilySphinginae
Wingspan (mm)70
Wing Patterncryptic
Primary Colorsbrown, grey
HabitatCypress swamps, wetlands, and areas with bald cypress trees
Geographic RangeSoutheastern United States (from North Carolina south to Florida and west to Louisiana and eastern Texas)
Host PlantsBald cypress (Taxodium distichum), Pond cypress (Taxodium ascendens)
Flight PeriodMay to October (multiple broods)
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesLarvae feed on the needles of cypress trees, undergoing several instars before pupating in the soil or leaf litter near the host plant. Adults are nocturnal.
Identification TipsLook for its mottled brown and grey forewings with indistinct darker lines and streaks, and its association with cypress trees. It lacks prominent eyespots or bright markings.
Description
This is a medium-sized, cryptically colored moth with mottled brown and grey forewings, allowing it to blend seamlessly with tree bark. Its body is robust and streamlined, typical of sphinx moths.
