Bug Love picture from Georgia
I snapped a couple of pics of two moths mating yesterday. I really like this one: underneath this one isn’t as dynamic: topside I included links to the flickr photostream too. They look like Cerisy Sphinxes from what I saw on your site. Feel free to use this pictures if you’d like. Thanks for running a great site,
Casey Willis
Hi Casey,
Bill Oehlke’s website doesn’t list Cerisy’s Sphinx in Georgia. These are Blinded Sphinxes, Paonias excaecata. You can also read about the Blinded Sphinx on Bill Oehlke’s website.
¶
Posted 26 June 2008
§
‡
°
Tagged: bug love
Hi there and thanks for your informative site
As best as I can see – the moths on my front porch today are Modest Sphinxes – they do not seem to have the distinct battle colors of the Cerisy’s. We live in the country east of Parker Colorado
Don Mackenzie
Hi Don,
Your photo is breathtakingly beautiful. This is a species closely related to the Modest Sphinx. It is the Big Poplar Sphinx, Pachysphinx occidentalis, the pale color form. Bill Oehlke’s wonderful website has some nice images of this beautiful moth. We have also heard it called the Western Poplar Sphinx.
¶
Posted 21 June 2008
§
‡
°
Tagged: bug love
My kids found the Moth or Butterfly outside our front door. They want me to identify it. Please help me look like a smart momma. Thanks,
D’Lonna
Texas
Hi D’Lonna
The fact that you cared enough to research on the internet makes you a smart momma. This moth is a Vine Sphinx, Eumorpha vitis. It is a wide ranging species that can be found in Argentina up through the souther United States, and it occasionally strays as far north as Nebraska according to Bill Oehlke’s excellent website. The caterpillar feeds on vines, and is especially fond of grape
¶
Posted 19 June 2008
§
‡
°
A sphinx moth of some sort?
Hi
Found this hanging on a lavender bush in my garden today. We live just south of Vancouver BC near the Washington border. It is similar in size to other sphinx moths I have seen at Adams Lake BC, but a different colour. Can you help? Thanks
Margaret
Hi Margaret,
Your moth is a Blinded Sphinx, Paonias excaecata. You can read more on Bill Oehlke’s wonderful website.
¶
Posted 16 June 2008
§
‡
°
Dear Bugman,
I found this moth on my living room window screen here in the Sierra Nevadas of Northeastern California. I looked through your photos of Sphinx moths and did not find one like him. Can you tell me what he is? I also had the pleasure of finding a Ceanothus Silk moth on the wall of my house the other day! I will attach a couple photos for you! Thank You,
Carrie Baum
Susanville , CA
Hi Carrie,
We probably had still not posted the image we received from Canada on June 9 of a Wild Cherry Sphinx, Sphinx drupiferarum. That image showed the resting position and it is great that you have supplied us with an image of the underwings as well as a finger for scale.
¶
Posted 11 June 2008
§
‡
°
Large Moth
We live near Kelowna, BC. I found this large moth resting on my fence one morning, and cannot identify it. Any suggestions?
Thanks, in advance.
Howard
Hi Howard,
Your large moth is a Wild Cherry Sphinx, Sphinx drupiferarum, and you can read up on it on Bill Oehlke’s awesome website.
¶
Posted 09 June 2008
§
‡
°
what’s this?
Hi
I write for a local news paper on the Outer Banks of N.C. I spotted this fascinating creature on the beach, perched on the piling under a pier. Any idea what it is? Thanks for your help.
Megan Shaw
Hi Megan,
We hope our little trip home to hot and humid Ohio to plant tomatoes for mom did not interfere with you doing a newspaper article on the lovely Pandorus Sphinx, Eumorpha pandorus. The Pandorus Sphinx is sometimes mistaken for a hummingbird because of its color, shape and flight pattern. Caterpillars feed on grape and Virginia creeper.
¶
Posted 05 June 2008
§
‡
°
Nessus Sphinx, Amphion floridensis?
I was just given your site when trying to find the identity of this moth. I see from other shots that it appears to be a Nessus Sphinx – am I right, and is this unusual for northern illinois, as I’ve never seen one before in this area. Thanks, enjoyed you site very much – thought you might like the pictures….
Bill Gigliotti
hi Bill,
Your identification of the Nessus Sphinx is correct. Bill Oehlke’s website lists Illinois as withing the typical range.
¶
Posted 03 June 2008
§
‡
°
Moth?
I found this bug (moth?) at the front door at work this morning. It didn’t move for about 6 hours so I tapped it and holy crap it grew eye balls and changed colors. Any idea what this is? Regards
Chris Burtis
Auburn, WA
hi Chris,
Your moth is known as the One Eyed Sphinx.
¶
Posted 28 May 2008
§
‡
°
Nessus Sphinx Moth ?
Hi there,
I saw this little guy buzzing around my garden this morning until it landed on a dwarf spruce tree and stayed in the same spot for about 4 hours letting me take numerous pictures of him. Was he tired? I live 20 feet from the open water of Lake St. Clair, Michigan in New Baltimore, Michigan which is about 35 miles northeast of Detroit. I believe to be a Nessus Sphinx moth. I have attached some pictures. Can you confirm? Thanks.
Linda Schmitt
Hi Linda,
Your identification of the Nessus Sphinx, Amphion floridensis, is correct. The best place to identify sphinx moths is Bill Oehlke’s wonderful website.
¶
Posted 25 May 2008
§
‡
°
Hummingbird moth?
Can you tell me what kind of moth this is? I’ve been calling it a hummingbird moth, but I’d like to know for sure. I took these pics on May 28 last year, when I spotted this beautiful moth on my lilacs. We live in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It’s the first and only time I’ve seen one! Thanks!
Daryl Ann Anderson
Alston, Michigan
hi Daryl,
This appears to be Hemaris diffinis, the Snowberry Clearwing or Bumblebee Moth.
¶
Posted 24 May 2008
§
‡
°
Hi! Can you tell me what these two moths are?
Kathy
Adams Lake, B.C. Canada May 24th 2008
 |
 |
| Small Eyed Sphinx |
Snowberry Sphinx |
Hi Kathy,
Both of your moths are Sphinx Moths. The brown one with the undulating patterns is a Small Eyed Sphinx, Paonias myops, and you can find out more about it on Bill Oehlke’s wonderful website. We believe your second gray moth is a Snowberry Sphinx, Sphinx vashti, but it might also be the similar looking Elegant Sphinx, Sphinx perelegans. We will try to contact Bill Oehlke to see if he can conclusively identify it.
Update: (05/25/2008)
Hi Daniel,
It is Sphinx vashti, Can you please ask Kathy to contact me as I would like permission to use images with credit to her. … Thanks for the referals to my site and kind words.
Bill Oehlke
¶
Posted 24 May 2008
§
‡
°
rss
