Death’s Head Sphinx Moth …or not??
Location: Ridgefield, CT
September 6, 2011 3:12 pm
Hi Bugman!
Here’s a photo of the Sphinx Moth that came to my front porch two nights ago. I never trap bugs, but he was so large (4 ins.) and unusual I decided to save him for a few hours til my kids awakened and could see him. We released him at dusk the next day and he flew away in fine fettle.
I ask for an id because I read that the Death’s Head Moth is not native and not found here, but this is clearly that moth, and certainly bears the little skull that I see in pix. Also a little freaky… Help!
Signature: Helen Epley
Pink Spotted Hawkmoth
Good morning Helen,
Many of the Sphinx Moths bear patterns on the thoracic area that can be anthropomorphized as looking like a skull, however, the pattern on the Death’s Head Moth is much more pronounced than it is in this lovely Pink Spotted Hawkmoth, Agrias cingulata, a species that has been reported in much of North America as well as Central and South America. You may read more about its habits on the Sphingidae of the Americas website. BugGuidelists its range as: “resident from southern United States to northern South America; migrates in late summer occasionally to northern states, rarely to British Columbia and southeastern Canada, and very rarely to west coast of Europe also resident in Galapagos Islands and Hawaii, and migrates in southern summer from northern South America to Argentina and Falkland Islands.”
Pink Spotted Hawkmoth
Thank you sooo much! I saw the pink-spotted hawkmoth photos but couldn’t see any sort of skull in those particular photos, so I imagined the most exciting outcome!!
LOVE the site.
Helen Epley
BIG, fat, hairy moth
Location: Prescott, Arizona
September 5, 2011 11:59 am
I found this BIG, fat, hairy moth attached to the outside of my kitchen window screen one morning. He stayed there for 2 days without moving. Not sure what he was doing there, but it was the weirdest thing. I’m guessing he’s a species of silk month, but would love to know more.
Signature: Dear Curious
Polyphemus Moth or Not???
Dear Curious,
At first we were going to write back to you that this was a Polyphemus Moth, Antheraea polyphemus, a species that is found in all 48 lower United States, however, we had second thoughts on our identification because a closely related species, the Oculea Silkmoth, Antheraea oculea, is found only in Arizona and generally at higher elevations, making Prescott a possible habitat conducive to the Oculea Silkmoth’s needs. The main distinguishing feature between the two species is the coloration that is visible when the wings are opened, hence our reluctance to identify a species. Here is a closed view of a Polyphemus Moth from BugGuide, and one from an Oculea Silkmoth also from BugGuide. We can tell you for certain that your individual is a male because of his antennae.
Awesome! Thanks for the quick reply. I never saw this thing with its wings open – but the second one you mentioned (Oculea Silkmoth) certainly looks like my moth!
Is this a moth??
Location: Maumelle, Arkansas
August 31, 2011 5:46 pm
This is hanging out on the wall of our covered porch. My boyfriend and I are wondering if it is a moth and if that is a stinger on its tail. It is in the upper nineties right now and we have been getting around a storm a week for the past month. It has been there all day without moving.
Signature: What In the World!
Tersa Sphinx
Dear WITW,
This aerodynamic moth is a Sphinx Moth in the family Sphingidae. The species is Xylophanes tersa, commonly called the Tersa Sphinx and you may verify our identification on the Sphingidae of the Americas website.
Moth ID
Location: London Ohio
August 31, 2011 8:40 am
Any idea what this guy is called? I’ve done some searching but am not getting anywhere. found it on my pepper plants in central ohio.
Signature: MC
Carolina Sphinx
Hi MC,
This is Manduca sexta, the Carolina Sphinx or Six Spotted Hawkmoth, and the caterpillar, called the Tobacco Hornworm, is frequently found feeding on tomato plants.
Red butt bug….
Location: Mount Dora, Florida
August 30, 2011 7:10 am
Hey Bugman-Please solve this mystery for us. We finally captured this guy and got photos this weekend. We have several insect books for Florida, but have been unable to identify this gorgeous critter. He hangs out in my butterfly garden and seems to like the same plants as the butterflies do. He is not aggressive. We have been going crazy the past seven years trying to identify this insect. Please help…thanks.
Signature: Monique & Chuck
Polka-Dot Wasp Moth
Dear Monique & Chuck,
What took you so long to write to us? We have been available on the internet at a different location since late 1998 and at our current URL since 2002. This is a Polka-Dot Wasp Moth, Syntomeida epilais, a species that is a very effective harmless mimic of a stinging insect.
Dear Daniel-
THANK YOU so much for your response and solving this mystery for us…and to think I don’t have oleanders in my garden because of my past experience with those “awful” defoliating caterpillars…they turn into this beautiful insect!! I have plenty of other plants to accomodate various species of butterfly larva and don’t seem to mind that they are summarily defoliated…I think it’s time for an oleander in my garden. I want more of these ‘artistically painted’ insects. You have made our day. We are so glad to have discovered your website and didn’t write earlier because we were unable to actually capture one of these…as we were afraid they were a stinging insect and I am highly allergic to stings of all kinds….and, yes, his “very effective mimic of a stinging insect” worked on us. (We did release him when his photo session was over.)
Thanks again…we will be making a donation to your site for you to be able to continue to do your work. Monique & Chuck
Snowball Viburnum Denizens
Location: Trumbull, CT
August 29, 2011 6:58 pm
I tried to look up both of these insects, but I only found one. The first is an ailanthus webworm moth, but I don’t know what the second one is. I occasionally find interesting insects on the snowball viburnum bush in my front yard.
Signature: Chuck
Ailanthus Webworm Moth
Dear Chuck,
Congratulations on having successfully identified your Ailanthus Webworm Moth. Folks of a certain age and those who think flower power was the apex of 20th Century style will likely respond to the repetitious patterns and play on scale evident in this lush photograph. Your other insect is a Feather Legged Fly, Trichopoda pennipes, a member of the Tachinid Fly family Tachinidae. Tachinid Flies have larvae that are internal parasites of other insects, arachnids and certain members of other arthropod orders. In the case of the Feather Legged Fly, the host insect is a Stink Bug. Here is the BugGuide page on this species.
Flower Fly on Snowball Viburnum
Look what flew into our kitchen this evening…
Location: Louisville, CO
August 26, 2011 11:32 pm
Hi, Daniel.
We had a visitor this evening. The wing span was about 5”. It settled down long enough for me to take a picture with my camera phone, and then Lisa put it back outside safely.
Our next door neighbor has been gifting us with their overflowing bounty of incredibly delicious tomatoes. Lisa suspects that the caterpillar it came from was one that feeds on tomatoes and that it is a hawk moth of some sort.
Signature: Daniel
Carolina Sphinx
Good Morning Daniel,
Lisa is correct. This is Manduca sexta, and its common name, Carolina Sphinx, is deceptive because it ranges well beyond the Carolinas. To further add to the confusion, the larva of the Carolina Sphinx is commonly called the Tobacco Hornworm, though it is found on tomato plants and other native solanaceous plants like Jimsonweed and Nightshade outside of tobacco country. You can read more about the Carolina Sphinx on the Sphingidae of the Americas website. Another similar looking member of the genus is Manduca quinquemaculata, and its caterpillar is known as the Tomato Hornworm. They are so similar in both appearance and habits to the Tobacco Hornworm that many home gardeners do not distinguish between the two species.
That scared life of me!
Location: Sliema, Malta
August 21, 2011 4:23 pm
Hi,
Could you please let me know what creature it is on the attached photo?
Since the photo has limited capabilities let me give you few more details.
It entered our apartment at night time (no lights, just an open window)
It had a wings span of approximately 15-20cm, length: 7-8cm, and when flying it was very fast and moving in a very chaotic motion.
Your help would be very much appreciated 
Thank you in advance, John
Signature: John
Unknown Hawkmoth Carnage
Dear Staff,
Please help me with identifying the bug I sent you. I have tried to do my reaserch in the Internet but without success.
My wife wants to sleep with closed windows in this 32°C heat here in Malta, because she is scared that this creature will come again. So I need to figure this bug out soon.
I appreciate your time. THANK YOU!!!
Best regards,
John
Hi John,
This harmless Hawkmoth in the family Sphingidae looks perfectly dead, and your wife need not fear its resurrection. In our opinion, this death was preventable, and we are tagging this posting as Unnecessary Carnage.
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