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Please help identify moth
July 25, 2009
I found this moth on my screen and am wondering if you could help identify it.
Anita
Southern Vermont

Small Eyed Sphinx

Hi Anita,
Your moth is known as a Small Eyed Sphinx, Paonias myops.  It is so named because the underwings which are not visible in your photo have eyespots.  According to Bill Oehkle’s awesome website:  “Small-eyed Sphinx females call in the night flying males with an airbourne pheromone emitted from a gland at the posterior of the abdomen.  Both sexes rest with wings parallel to the resting surface, with the upper lobes of the hindwings protruding above the forewings.  The lower abdomen of the male (right) arcs upward toward the head, while the abdomen of the female hangs strait down on a vertical surface.“  That means your specimen is a female.  We are copying Bill Oehlke on this response so he can add your sighting to the comprehensive data he is compiling on North American Sphinx Moths.

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