Sphinx populi Linnaeus, 1758, Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1: 489. Type locality: not stated [Sweden, Stockholm].
Wingspan: 70--100mm. A very distinct species with rust-red hindwing patches, confusable only with L. amurensis (Staudinger). Ground colour of the wings varies considerably from pale buff, through pale browns, reds (mainly in females), and greys to an almost black suffusion. Likewise, the transverse lines can be either very prominent, or totally absent, while the hindwing patches may be any shade of red or brown, and any size. Gynandromorphs are common, and if each half is a different colour, the effect can be striking. Developing pupae subjected to heat produce pale buff to rose-red adults. Cold conditions can produce adults which are dark grey.
China: Unknown in China but presumably late May to late July, as in adjacent areas of Altayskiy Kray, Russia. The main flight period in Siberia is mid June to mid July. The Taibai Shan specimen was captured on 12.vii (Danner et al., 1998).
OVUM: Pale green, almost sperical and large for the size of moth.
LARVA: Typically sphingiform; very similar to that of Smerinthus ocellata, but body stouter and horn smaller.
PUPA: Matt black or dark brown, rough (not glossy), unlike that of Smerinthus. Cremaster short, dorso-ventrally flattened, broad at base and terminating in a sharp point.
Larval hostplants. Unknown in China but oligophagous in Europe on Populus and Salix, with occasional records on other trees (Pittaway, 1993).
Unknown.
China: Xinjiang (Tacheng).
Danner et al. (1998) noted a single male, from Taibai Shan, Shaanxi, that had genitalia matching those of L. p. populi. This record is well outside the known distribution of L. populi, but it may represent a relict population rather than a labelling error.
Russia: Altai (Krasnoshchekovo; Barnaul; Borovlyanka; Klyuchi; Aleysk); Siberia (Tomsk; Alaevo; Karasuk; Bolotnoe; Kayly; Novosibirsk, Alchedat; Irkutsk; Kolomino; Porotnikova; Asino; Bazoy; Kupino; Novodubrovka; Kaninovka; Chingisy).
Recorded by Pittaway (1993) throughout Europe (with the exception of the far north and parts of the Iberian and Balkan Peninsulas), east as far as southern Turkey, and across Russia to just east of the Urals. Now known to extend much further east across Russia (north of the Kyrgyz Steppe), as far east as Irkutsk (E. Berlov, pers. comm.), and then down to the extreme northwest of China in Xinjiang (XAUX). In this part of its range, the Dzhungarian Gap and the inhospitable deserts to either side separate L. p. populi from L. p. populeti.
It is only in recent years that this species has been recorded from southern Siberia, first from Novosibirsk, then Irkutsk. It is possible that L. p. populi is extending its range eastwards.
Holarctic; western Palaearctic region. Pleistocene refuge: Monocentric -- Pontomediterranean refuge.
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