Sphinx moth
August 11, 2009
Dear bugman; I have been trying to get a photo of this moth for 4 days . I think it may be a Hummingbird moth (Hemaris thysbe). Today I decided to catch and cool it in the freezer for 3 minutes. When I took him out he wasn’t moving. I thought I killed him. I was dreading the thought of (UNNECESSARY CARNAGE) or worse yet, involuntary bugslauter. I put him (or her) in the sun hoping he might come around. I took over 30 photos, when he started to flutter, and dropped to the ground. I picked him up and put him back on the flower. he didn’t move for another 10 minutes. Then he just flew strait up, about ten feet and turned, and flew off.
I was browsing through the local library on Saturday, when I came across a book titled KAUFMAN Field Guide to Insects of North America. I’ve owned the Kaufman Birds of North America for many years now, and thought, if this book is half as good as the bird book it will be great. When I picked it up I saw the author was Eric Eaton. I started reading, and almost forgot to stop for lunch. The only problem now is they are going to want it back. Keep up the good work, and write that book!
Terry Sincheff
Mound, MN
Hummingbird Clearwing
Dear Terry,
We do not as yet have a tagged category for Involuntary BugSlaughter, but that would not be quite as serious a matter as our current Unnecessary Carnage tag. We do not consider accidental deaths to be cause for tagging a letter as Unnecessary Carnage. A recent example was the chilling to death of a Gold and Brown Rove Beetle. Since your Hummingbird Clearwing, Hemaris thysbe, survived, this is all a moot point. Your intention in chilling this specimen was to take photos and then to release the moth, as opposed to recent postings where the intention was to dispatch of a perceived threat. We will state again that it has never been our intention to vilify readers who out of fear kill a benign creature that was perceived as a threat, but to educate our readership in the event of future encounters with frightening but harmless creatures.
With regards to the KAUFMAN Field Guide to Insects of North America, it sounds like after taking the library copy for a test drive, you may need to buy your own copy. We are quite certain Eric Eaton would appreciate that. Eric is highly entertaining in print and we are quite thankful that he contributes so much to What’s That Bug? when we need correction or clarification in our identifications.
You may read more about the Hummingbird Clearwing on Bill Oehlke’s wonderful website.
Hummingbird Clearwing
¶
Posted 11 August 2009
§
‡
°
What’s that moth?
August 6, 2009
We have identified several moths this past week feeding on our four o’clocks, (well, WTB did). Achemon, clear wing hummingbird, and banded sphinx. What is this moth? Thanks and keep up the good work, love your site!
Jennifer & Gary
Lakeland, FL
Carolina Sphinx
Hi Jennifer and Gary,
If you researched the moths in your garden on our site, you did the identification. This is a Carolina Sphinx, Manduca sexta, one of two species (the other being the Tobacco Sphinx, Manduca quinquemaculata) with caterpillars that feed on Tomato plant leaves. These caterpillars are sometimes called Tomato Hornworms. You may read more about your Carolina Sphinx on Bill Oehlke’s awesome website.
¶
Posted 07 August 2009
§
‡
°
Can you identify this insect?
August 5, 2009
Bees are regular visitor to our Bee Balm flowers. Today we saw what we thought was a small humming bird, but the pictures reveal six legs. It is larger than a bubble bee, and flies like a humming bird. It is August in Wisconsin.
Paul Sanders
Waukesha, Wisconsin
Hummingbird Clearwing Moth
Hi Paul,
Diurnal Sphinx Moths in the genus Hemaris are often confused for hummingbirds, hence the common name of Hummingbird Clearwing Moth, Hemaris thysbe.
Hummingbird Clearwing Moth
¶
Posted 06 August 2009
§
‡
°
Moth? Approx 2 1/2 inches high
August 3, 2009
Hi! Hope you can help Identify this moth hanging out on the wall outside our door in Biddeford, Maine. Approx 2 1/2 inches high. House is surrounded by woods, a lot of pines. I’ve searched through sphynx moth info, but couldn’t find anything that seemed to match! Thanks!
Suzie in Maine
Biddeford Maine
Blinded Sphinx
Hi Suzie,
Your moth is a Blinded Sphinx, Paonias excaecata, and you may read more about the species on Bill Oehlke’s awesome website. We are currently working on our book chapter tentatively titled Entomology and Etymology and we are quite intrigued with how insects get their common and scientific names. This is known as the Blinded Sphinx because there are no “pupils” in the “eyespots” on the lower wings which are not visible in your photo. Many moths have these eyespots. If a bird or other predator disturbs the resting moth, it will reveal the lower wings with the spots and hopefully startle the predator into thinking the prey is much larger than it really is and that it is possibly about to eat the predator.
¶
Posted 04 August 2009
§
‡
°
Strange Moth found in Michigan
July 31, 2009
I found this moth while on vacation in the upper peninsula of Michigan and had to photograph it. This was during the summer. Since the photos were taken a few years ago, I don’t remember the exact size, but I estimate it to be around 1.5 inches long. I’ve been trying to find it online and so far I think it’s either some kind of sphinx moth, or a silk moth, but I’m having trouble identifying it. Any ideas?
Kevin
Crystal Falls, Michigan (Upper Peninsula)
Twin Spotted Sphinx
Hi Kevin,
We just posted an image of a One Eyed Sphinx a few minutes ago, and this is a closely related species, the Twin Spotted Sphinx, Smerinthus jamaicensis. Here is how Bill Oehlke distinguishes the two species from one another: “Smerinthus jamaicensis closely resembles Smerinthus cerisyi, but jamaicensis is much smaller with larger blue patches on more vibrant and deeper purple in the lower wings. Also note the complete (i.e. outer margin to outer margin) off-white arc just below the forewing apex. In S. cerisyi the lower portion of the arc does not return to the outer margin.”
¶
Posted 31 July 2009
§
‡
°
Unknown Moth Found at My Work
July 31, 2009
Found in Forest Grove, Oregon today. Tried looking online, and failed. Is it local? Or could it have come from another country? We do get pallets of goods at my work from around the world it could have came with.
It has an open wingspan of 3 inches when fully opened.
Alex P
Forest Grove, Oregon
One Eyed Sphinx
Dear Alex,
The One Eyed Sphinx, Smerinthus cerisyi, is a local species for you. You may read more by visiting Bill Oehlke’s wonderful website.
¶
Posted 31 July 2009
§
‡
°
What is this? Is it a butterfly?
July 31, 2009
I have been wondering if this is just some kind of butterfly. I found this in my backyard. I thought it was just a leaf, but the only tree I have in my yard is a pine tree. It is summer time as well, so there are not many dead leaves around right now, which is what this looks like.
Do you have any ideas what this could be?
Kristina
New Mexico
Achemon Sphinx
Hi Kristina,
This is a moth, not a butterfly. It is an Achemon Sphinx, Eumorpha achemon, and you may read more about it on Bill Oehlke’s wonderful website.
¶
Posted 31 July 2009
§
‡
°
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.
¶
Posted 26 July 2009
§
‡
°
Moth
July 25, 2009
I found what I believe to be a moth of some type. I don’t remember seeing one like before and was unable to identify it from your website. It was approx. two inches long and had the appearance of being covered with fur.
Richard
North Middle Tennessee, USA
Tersa Sphinx
Hi Richard,
This is a Tersa Sphinx, Xylophanes tersa, one of the most aerodynamically engineered of the Sphinx Moths in the family Sphingidae, a family characterized by its members’ powerful flight capabilities. You can read more about the Tersa Sphinx on Bill Oehlke’s awesome website. We will be copying Bill on this response so he can add your sighting to the comprehensive data he is compiling on members of this family.
¶
Posted 25 July 2009
§
‡
°
New For Me
July 23, 2009
I saw this on a plant that my sister bought. It was there for the better part of a day. I never saw this before. I think it is a moth, but that’s all I can figure, and I can’t find its likeness anywhere.
Buzz
Warwick, NY
Virginia Creeper Sphinx
Hi Buzz,
We have been getting numerous images of Sphinx Moths this summer, as we do every summer, but this is the first image of a Virginia Creeper Sphinx, Darapsa myron, this year. You may read more on Bill Oehlke’s awesome website.
¶
Posted 24 July 2009
§
‡
°
what is this moth?
July 22, 2009
I was on vacation a few days ago, and i came across this beautiful lepidopterid. I’ve had a hard time identifying it, so i was hoping to find an answer here. Thanks!
Rob
Saratoga County, New York
Wild Cherry Sphinx
Hi Rob,
While it is not as colorful as other members in the family Sphingidae, this Wild Cherry Sphinx, Sphinx drupiferarum, has lovely markings. According to Bill Oehlke’s awesome website: “Sphinx drupiferarum larvae hide in the day and feed primarily on cherry, plum, and apple at night.“
¶
Posted 22 July 2009
§
‡
°
Big Fuzzy Brown Moth
July 21, 2009
I finally got my first bug ID request through…(I think my picture resolutions were too big).
And now I just want to share a couple pictures of what I think is one of those hummingbird or sphinx moths, but I’m really not sure.
I’ve only seen them flying and this one had a leg broken off 
and seemed pretty clumsy. He had a wingspan of about 3in or so. VERY furry thorax (as you’ll see in one pic), huge eyes and long antennae, and orange spots down the sides of his abdomen.
I found him on my backyard deck. I took him out to a huge butterfly bush that they like to hang around and hope he made it ok! But I’m moving soon and couldn’t bring him in to care for him. :S I figured he’d probably be better in his environment anyway. 
Thanks for your awesome website! I’ve been amusing myself reading the Nasty Reader Awards. Lol.
Bethany
Santa Fe, NM
Five Spotted Hawkmoth
Hi Bethany,
Your moth is a Five Spotted Hawkmoth, Manduca quinquemaculata, one of two species whose caterpillars feed on the leaves of tomato plants and related solanaceous plants and are collectively known as Tomato Hornworms. You can read more about the Five Spotted Hawkmoth on Bill Oehlke’s awesome website. We are happy to hear that our Nasty Reader Awards amuse you since we were just “chastised” by our most recent recipient, Creeped Out, for writing things on our site that had nothing to do with identification.
¶
Posted 22 July 2009
§
‡
°
rss
