Skip to content

Category Archives: Hummingbird Moths, Sphinx Moths or Hawk Moths   rss

What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Small Eyed Sphinx

Beautiful Bug!
I discovered this moth on the bottom of a false Solomon’s Seal in a woodland in western Massachusetts. Any idea what it might be
Karen

Hi Karen,
This is Paonias myops, the Small Eyed Sphinx.

Posted 06 June 2007 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Another Blinded Sphinx from Washington

Found this moth on the garage door. Don’t know what it is…
Hello.
I found this weird moth on the garage door this morning. Not sure what kind it is but I have never seen anything like it. Looks like the moth has ‘bat wings’ or something. Could you please identify and let me know. Thanks so much. The moth is about 2 to 2.5 inches long with a curled up tail. I haven’t harmed it as I intend to let it go now that I’ve photographed this beauty. Oh, yeah, the bug (and I) are in Pacific, WA (south of Seattle area). Thanks for your help.
Andrew J. Smalley
Pacific, WA

Hi Andrew,
This is the second Blinded Sphinx image we received from Washington today. Minutes earlier we posted the other image, and, don’t tell Pamela, but your image is of a much higher quality. We are certain it will help our readers identify this very distinctive moth.

Posted 04 June 2007 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Blinded Sphinx

Moth
I found this moth on my screen door a couple days ago. I was wondering if you could tell me what kind it is. I searched your site and couldn’t find anything that I was 100% sure was the same thing. I live in Seattle, WA.
Thank you
Pamela

Hi Pamela,
We have posted several photos of the Blinded Sphinx, Paonias excaecata, in the past. You can also go to Bill Oehlke’s excellent Sphingidae site for more information.

Posted 04 June 2007 § ‡ Comments (0) °
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Azalea Sphinx

Hummingbird Moth?
This Moth drinks nectar from the same Honeysuckle flowers that the Ruby Throated Hummingbirds in our yard do. This is definitely not the “Clearwing” variety of the Hummingbird Moth, which I read about before. I took this decent picture of this type of regular wing moth hovering in front of a Honeysuckle flower a couple of years ago and am sending it along for identification. We see this type of moth every summer in Western Rhode Island, though not as often as the “Clearwing” variety. We have not seen it yet this season as I think it’s still too early in the season.
Thanks, Chris

Hi Chris,
This is an Azalea Sphinx, Darapsa choerilus. Though Bill Oehlke, who runs a most amazing Sphingidae site, does not list this moth in Rhode Island, it is found in surrounding states. You should contact him so he can list your siting for the state as this might represent the first official siting in Rhode Island.

Posted 03 June 2007 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Hummingbird Moth or Snowberry Clearwing????

Moth
Moth identification
I have attached pics of a flying insect of some sort? I think it is a hummingbird moth. Picture taken in Northern Ontario.
Fred

Hi Fred,
We cannot be certain if these are Hummingbird Clearwing Moths, Hemaris thysbe, or the closely related and very similar looking Snowberry Clearwing Moths, Hemaris diffinis. Their ranges overlap in many places.

Posted 03 June 2007 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Mating Lime Hawkmoths from Switzerland

Moth ID
Hi guys, My daughter Rosie and son Sam saw these moths on our door today…initially we thought they were leaves. We have tried to find a similar image on your site, and although it looks a little like a Pandora Sphinx moth we are not sure. This photo is from Duillier in Switzerland. We hope you can help with the ID. Thanks
Duncan, Switzerland

Hi Duncan,
The Pandora Sphinx does not range into Europe. These mating Sphinxes are Mimas tiliae commonly called Lime Hawk-moths. More information and images can be found on Moths and Butterflies of Europe and North Africa and the UK Moths page. Lime refers to a favored larval food plant, the Linden Tree which is commonly called a Lime Tree.

Posted 02 June 2007 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Snowberry Clearwing Moth Metamorphosis and Mating

caterpillar, pupa, and bumblebee moth pictures
We found a Bumblebee Moth caterpillar on our Honeysuckle vine…

brought it inside to watch it transform and thought you might enjoy the pictures!
Nikki Ogle
Aubrey, Tx

BumbleBee Moth’s Bug Luvin’
I sent pictures of our Bumblebee Moth development… well, I just went to check to see if it was still on the vine… and found a two for one. Two hours after placing the moth on honeysuckle vine, I went to see if it had flown away … instead I was seeing double! After viewing this discovery I’ve surmised that our moth was female … The assumption based on larger size and having not moved from the leaf it was place on. It must have been releasing pheromones? If that is correct … the one facing us in this picture is a happy little male. This is my favorite picture. I’ve attachem more.
Nikki Ogle
Aubrey, Tx

Hi Nikki,
We sure hope you are going to send us the egg photos to complete this awesome life cycle series. Though it is often called the Bumblebee Moth, Hemaris thysbe is most commonly known as the Hummingbird Clearwing Moth or Common Clearwing. according to Bill Oehlke’s awesome site.

Update: (05/29/2007) Snowberries I think
Hello bugman!
So glad that you guys are back. I was just looking an awesome series of shots sent in by one of your readers of the life cycle of some clearwing moths. I do believe they are Hemaris difinnis, the Snowberry Clearwing, and not H. thysbe. I use the same sources as you (namely Bill Oehlke’s website and bugguide, Wagner’s book for caterpillars). On Bill Oehlke’s website, he describes some of the differences, including the color of the legs, which can be seen in the image you have of them mating. Keep up the good work!
Bobby

Hi Bobby,
Thanks for the correction. By the way, we cannot open your photos, but we are very curious to see them.

Posted 22 May 2007 § Caterpillars and Pupa ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged:

Gaudy Sphinx

What kind of moth is this?
Hello Bugman,
we are a Dutch couple and since February living in the north of the Dominican Republic. That is where we saw this moth, at least we think it is a moth. We have been searching the internet for we really want to know what kind of moth this is. Can you help us out here and is this a kind you see often? Thanks in advance for you help. Best regards,
Harm & Yvonne Jager

Hi Harm and Yvonne,
This is a Guady Sphinx, Eumorpha labruscae. It is occasionally found in the U.S., generally in Florida, but it is primarily a tropical species.

Posted 17 May 2007 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Oleander Sphinx

Unidentified Moth
Hi,
Do you have any idea which species this is? I found this moth on the tire of my rental van one morning on the island of Maui. Thanks for your time.
Steve Collinson

Hi Steve,
This is an Oleander Sphinx, and it is found in many parts of the world where its larval food plant, the oleander, grows.

Posted 05 May 2007 § ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged:

Green Hawkmoth from Japan: Callambulyx tatarinovii gabyae

Moth
Hi
I live in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. The other day on my way out I spotted this moth on the wall of my apartment building, having my camera with I took this picture. I put on a web site and had some feedback as to what it was. I know it is a Hawkmoth of, but I am not sure which. So I was kind of hoping you might be able to help me.
Matthew Tyndale-Tozer

Hi Matthew,
We had no idea what this species was either, but we did a websearch of Sphingidae Japan and found a fascinating site that appears to identify your moth as Callambulyx tatarinovii gabyae. Since we could not read the Japanese site, we then searched the moth’s name and found another site that states Callambulyx tatarinovii gabyae is endemic to Japan.

Posted 04 May 2007 § ‡ Comments (0) °

White-Lined Sphinx

Hyles lineata
I saw the photo that accompanied Swarms of Striped Morning Sphinxes in Baja sent in to you by "A" on April 17, and thought you might enjoy these images made along Rock Creek, Mono County, CA, June 26, 2005. The flower is the rare Lillium kellyanum. Cheers,
Bill Bouton
San Luis Obispo, CA USA

Hi Bill,
We don’t believe we have ever received finer images capturing the flight of a White Lined Sphinx, or any other Sphinx for that matter, than yours.

Posted 19 April 2007 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Swarms of Striped Morning Sphinxes in Baja

Probable Hyles lineata
Thought you’d enjoy this image. I was in a isolated part of Baja California (about 200 mi south of the border, near the ocean), and there was a massive flight of sphinx moths. They all converged on this one agave (Agave shawii). There must have been 50 – 100 moths flying around. This image was taken just at sunset, and you can see the orange light reflected off the bug’s legs. Let me know if you want other more identifiable images.
A

Hi A,
We have gotten reports large numbers of Striped Morning Sphinxes in the desert in the past. The caterpillars are also often found in great numbers eating desert plants in the brief periods of time they are green.

Posted 17 April 2007 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Page 18 of 37« First...10«1617181920»30...Last »