Hummingbird Moth
Location: Central Massachusetts
September 7, 2010 2:38 pm
I had seen your answer to a previous writer about these cool creatures and I wanted to forward a few pictures of them to you. All this time we thought they were possibly baby hummingbirds only to find out they are moths.
But, none the less are are amazing creatures and appear to have no fear. they would buzz around my wife as she was trimming the butterfly bushes in our yard. Enjoy.
Signature: Brian Dicks
Hummingbird Clearwing Moth
Hi Brian,
We are happy to post your photo of a Hummingbird Clearwing Moth. It seems we have answered at least two identification requests for this creature every day for the past few weeks, but either the photos were not that good, or the letter was not engaging, or we had too many other letters we wanted to post, but whatever the reason, we have responded directly without posting the letters to our website. We like that you took the time to identify your Hummingbird Clearwing Moth and that your letter is enthusiastic about nature, and that your image quality is very good, so we are posting your letter and photo of a Hummingbird Clearwing Moth, Hemaris thysbe, which you may read about on Bill Oehlke’s excellent website.
¶ Posted 08 September 2010 § ‡ ° Colorado Moth
Location: Denver, Colorado
September 4, 2010 12:49 pm
I found this moth in Denver, Colorado in July. It seems to resemble the dagger moth and the underwing moth but the secondary wings look just like the ones on top. Moth measures 2 inches. Any help is appreciated.
Signature: Colorado moth lover
Waved Sphinx
Dear Colorado Moth Lover,
We believe this is a Waved Sphinx, Ceratomia undulosa, based on photos and information posted to Bill Oehlke’s excellent website, however there are several other similar looking species found in Colorado. We are going to copy Bill Oehlke with our reply so that he can incorporate your sighting into the comprehensive database he oversees, and perhaps he will be able to confirm our identification.
Hugely helpful!! Thank you so much!!
Julie Groves
Bill Oehlke Confirms Identification
Daniel,
Denver, Colorado Sphingidae is Ceratomia undulosa.
Bill Oehlke
¶ Posted 04 September 2010 § ‡ ° White Lined Sphinx Moth
Location: Saxtons River, VT
September 1, 2010 7:31 am
Hi Daniel,
I sent in the photos of the Giant Ichneumon last week that you are using for the September Bug of the Month. (Thanks, again!)
I thought you might like these two photos I took of a White Lined Sphinx Moth. It was on my phlox one evening. The interesting thing about these moths is, they are not the least bit bothered by having a camera stuck in their faces as they fly about, quite unlike most moths!
KT
Bedstraw Hawkmoth
Hi KT,
Your action photos are wonderful, but we believe you have misidentified your moth. Rather than the White Lined Sphinx, we believe this to be the closely related Bedstraw Hawkmoth, Hyles gallii. You can compare your images to the photos posted on Bill Oehlke’s excellent website that allows you to search by state or country to try to identify moths in the family Sphingidae. The Bedstraw Hawkmoth is quite common coast to coast in the northern portions of North America throughout Canada and into Alaska as well as the northern portions of Europe and Asia. Bill Oehlke indicates that along the Rocky Mountains it is also reported as far south as Mexico.
Bedstraw Hawkmoth
Hi Daniel,
Thanks very much for that clarification. I was going by another moth that I saw on your site, which is the stock photo that was posted on August 17. Interesting that they are so similar. The photographs on Bill Oehlke’s site certainly do look like ‘my’ moth. Just for fun, I sent him the same two shots.
KT
Hi again KT,
We should probably have clarified that the Bedstraw Hawkmoth and the White Lined Sphinx are closely related moths in the same genus, hence your understandable confusion.
Hi Daniel,
Yes, they sure are very similar! I did send the photos to Bill Oehlke and this was the result! Very cool!! http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/vtWindhamsph.htm
It’s nice to know there are others out there who are as interested in these creatures.
Have a great day,
KT
¶ Posted 01 September 2010 § ‡ ° Coolest looking green moth looking thing I have ever seen!
Location: Raleigh, NC
August 30, 2010 4:39 pm
Ok so bugs normally creep me out and I run as quickly in the opposite direction as I can…but this is the prettiest bug I have ever seen! I have actually been back outside of my apartment several times in the last hour just to look at it. This moth looking bug has been outside of my apartment on the wall out of the sun for the last 4 hours. Hasn’t moved an inch! I have never seen another bug like this in my whole life, its wings look like a piece of art. Please help me identify this bug that I’ve been staring at for the few hours. I’d love to know anything else about this bug like if it is common to this area because I haven’t ever seen another one.
Curious bug gazer
Pandora Sphinx
Dear Curious bug gazer,
Your lovely moth is a Pandora Sphinx, Eumorpha pandorus, a species that ranges from Florida to southern Canada and west to Oklahoma according to Bill Oehlke’s excellent website.
¶ Posted 31 August 2010 § ‡ ° moth
Location: southern wisconsin
August 29, 2010 9:27 pm
Aug 30th, moth on our deck in s wisconsin. what is it?
jw
White Lined Sphinx
Hi jw,
YOur moth is a White Lined Sphinx or Striped Morning Sphinx, Hyles lineata. This is one of the most common Hawk Moths in the family Sphingidae, and it can be found in all forty eight lower states and much of Canada. You may read more about the White Lined Sphinx on Bill Oehlke’s excellent website.
¶ Posted 30 August 2010 § ‡ ° Nessus Sphinx in Oklahoma?
Location: Seminole, Oklahoma
August 25, 2010 9:12 pm
Ever since finding your site, I have been amazed by the pictures of the sphinx moths. I thought it would be so cool to see one, and being a bug kid and never seeing one around, I figured they weren’t native to Oklahoma. I was waiting on my family to get ready to go out to dinner, and saw all these insects on my oak outside so I grabbed my camera. There were butterflies, roaches, flesh flies and tons of horse flies all feasting on the sap (I’m guessing) on the side of my oak. As I was taking photos, along comes what I believe to be a Nessus Sphinx! The picture is not good… but maybe you can confirm from it for me? It was awesome! Possibly a dream come true… Thanks so much!
Amy Goodman
Nessus Sphinx
Hi Amy
Even with the lack of image clarity, the markings on the Nessus Sphinx make the identification easy. The Nessus Sphinx is native to Oklahoma, as are numerous other Sphinx Moths. Bill Oehlke’s excellent website has a list of Oklahoma sightings.
¶ Posted 26 August 2010 § ‡ ° Moth that looks like a catfish
Location: Sarasota, FL
August 25, 2010 10:55 pm
This moth was just chillin on the door frame outside of my house this morning. He didn’t move. I couldn’t see his eyes. Very weird. I’ve never seen it before, so I posted it’s picture on facebook. No one could tell me either. Good luck!
Sarah Hutchinson
Mournful Sphinx
Hi Sarah,
We don’t know why we have such a difficult time remembering that this unmistakable looking moth is a Mournful Sphinx, Enyo lugubris. We have to look up its name each time a photo is submitted to us. Bill Oehlke’s website is the best place to search for Sphinx Moths in the family Sphingidae.
¶ Posted 26 August 2010 § ‡ ° Hummingbird Moth
Location: Solsberry,Indiana
August 24, 2010 9:10 pm
Hi,
I thought you might like the these images. Pretty sure these are hummingbird moths though I’m not certain what type. These are fun to watch in the evening…beautiful.
Love your website!
Holly Sciscoe
Carolina Sphinx
Hi Holly,
This is a Sphinx Moth or Hawkmoth in the family Sphingidae, the members of which are frequently mistaken for hummingbirds. This is one of two species in the genus Manduca. We believe it is the Carolina Sphinx, Manduca sexta (see Bill Oehlke’s website), though it might be the Five Spotted Hawkmoth, Manduca quinquemaculata, also on Bill Oehlke’s website. Both species have caterpillars that feed on the leaves of tomato plants. Your photos are awesome and quite detailed action images.
Carolina Sphinx
¶ Posted 25 August 2010 § ‡ ° 
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