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Hummingbird Moths, Sphinx Moths or Hawk Moths Hello Mr. Bugman!
Here are a couple of shots of a moth we discovered in our front yard, in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada. There were several of them, seen at dusk, sucking nectar from our petunias. None of us have ever seen a moth such as these, and we are wondering if they are uncommon on the prairies. We have had a very long hot spell this summer – about 6 weeks above 35C, so are wondering if this may have made a difference to the expansion of their range? ‘Would appreciate any comments you might like to send. We have checked your site, and believe these are Striped Morning Sphinx moths. They move exactly like a hummingbird – very intriguing, and anybody we have talked to has never seen such an insect in these parts.
Debbie Thompson
Hi Debbie,
You have correctly identified only one of your moths as a Striped Morning Sphinx, Hyles lineata, a native species. Your other moth is a related species, the Bedstraw Hawkmoth, Hyles gallii. The Bedstraw Hawkmoth is found in North America and Europe. It might be an introduced species.
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