Moth? on Evening Primrose
Location: Bedford, VA
July 31, 2011 3:56 pm
This moth is visiting an evening primrose. This was happening after dark Bedford, VA during July after the evening primrose had blossomed out. It blooms out about in about a half hour after sunset and the moth is seen after dark. I thought it to be a hawk moth but could not specifically identify. Note the long beak.
Signature: Ben Shrader
Hi Ben,
What a positively marvelous photo of a Five Spotted Hawkmoth, Manduca quinquemaculata, nectaring from an Evening Primrose. The Five Spotted Hawkmoth is also called the Tomato Hornworm in the larval stage, and you might have found these large, green caterpillars with a caudal horn. We had a bit of difficulty with this identification because the namesake yellow spots are ont visible because of the angle of the wings. You can view The Sphingidae of the Americas for more information.
Thanks, I have several on a distribution list in which at least one of them had identified as you but this confirms with confidence.
Ben Shrader