moth like black and white bug
August 8, 2009
My cat found this bug today and tried to bring it inside, I’ve looked all over the internet and can’t figure out what it is.
Patti K.
Phoenix, AZ
Northern Ash Sphinx
Hi Patti,
This is a Northern Ash Sphinx or Great Ash Sphinx, Sphinx chersis, and it is newly metamorphosed, which may be why you had difficulty identifying it. The caterpillar pupates underground, and once it “hatches” it needs to dig to the surface. It is vulnerable at that point, which is probably why your cat found it. You can see more images and get more information on Bill Oehlke’s wonderful website.
Irish invasion
August 9, 2009
Enjoying a walk on Isis Mor in the Tri-Island Aran Islands I beleive I was bitten by this strange insect, the bite developed into a sunken bruise and I have since recovered but I would very much like to know what it was. and also what you would recommend for me to read as Entomology is a fascinating field, specifically books that help in the identification of insects.
Thank you for your assistance!
Tómas Ó Gallachóir
Éire
Transparent Burnet
Hi Tómas,
This is a mystery and your photo doesn’t show the type of detail we would like to see. Our first guess, would be a Lepidopteran, and then an Owlfly in the family Ascalaphidae, but we cannot seem to locate anything that remotely resembles your insect online. The clubbed antennae and wings lead us to believe this is either an Owlfly or a member of the order Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths). Is it possible the bite you describe came from another insect? It is possible an Owlfly might bite, but we can’t image the bite reaction you describe. This might also be a Sawfly, but again we are really puzzled by this challenging identificaton. We are going to enlist some assistance in this identification.
Update from Eric Eaton
Hi, Daniel:
It is a moth, specifically the “transparent burnet,” Zygaena purpuralis. Seriously doubt it is capable of “biting” with its proboscis.
Eric
Thanks Eric,
We are linking to the UK Moths page on the Transparent Burnet.
Thanks for the update Eric and Daniel, I’m glad it proved a challenge to identify! I am not 100% it was this nearby ”Ztgaena Purpuralis” that was the culprit in the biting, As I reflexively brushed the insect that bit me away without getting a good look at it, I just presumed that it was this guy as he was nearby and slightly resembled what had bit me, in proportions anyway, although the wings of the biting insect could have been more green/grey in colour.
Thanks again
Tómas
¶ Posted 09 August 2009 § ‡ ° Large moth
August 7, 2009
Hello,
I saw this big moth clinging to a cedar tree in my yard last June. It was about 4 inches long.
Phil Norton
Oshkosh
Waved Sphinx
Hi PHil,
This is a Waved Sphinx, Ceratomia undulosa. You may read about it on Bill Oehlke’s wonderful website.
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.
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
Black bug with white wing tips and red body
August 5, 2009
I shot this today, August 5, 2009, at about 6:35pm.
This bug caught my eye, because I’ve never seen anything like it.
I’m located in Tampa, Florida in the 33615 zip code.
The bug was sitting on my wall facing the east.
the wall is made of cinder blocks and it was sitting on one of the creases, so hopefully you can judge the size of it from that.
It is black and has white tips on it’s wings. The front part of it’s body is red and the rest is black to the tail.
It is a beautiful bug.
I’d love to know what type of bug this is, my daughter discovered while playing in the front yard.
Carlos B
Tampa, Fl (33615)
White Tipped Black
Hi Carlos,
This Geometrid Moth, Melanchroia chephise, goes by the very descriptive common name of White Tipped Black. According to BugGuide, the caterpillar is called a Snowbush Spanworm.
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.
Butteryfly/Moth looking insect
August 2, 2009
I was camping over the weekend and came across this big moth/butteryfly type insect. It just stayed in that spot for hours then it left for sometime and then the next day it was back on a different spot on the cabin.
thanks
Labarr15
Old Forge, NY
Luna Moth
Dear Labarr15,
Now that you know that this is a Luna Moth, you should be able to find enough information online to fill a book, one of those things that we really need to continue writing.
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