Subject: Hyles population boom?
February 23, 2014 9:19 pm
is anyone else seeing a LOT of Hyles lineata right now? I live in Riverside and am getting 5/day in house. luckily, I love them! I do have a bunch of epilobium which they’re probably feeding on.
Signature: Beth
Hi Beth,
Our offices are in Mount Washington, a Los Angeles neighborhood to the northeast, and we have had visits several times this week by Whitelined Sphinxes. Though we are not seeing the numbers you are seeing, we can attest to them flying right now. Last April, we had a period of time in early April where we would see as many as eight to ten Whitelined Sphinxes each night at the front door where they were attracted by the porch light.
hi Daniel, I teach at Oxy but am seldom there at night to see such things. it seems early in the season for the numbers I’m seeing…..
Beth
We have had a warmer and drier winter which will affect eclosion times.
I’m up near La Canada and saw 2-4 of them tonight, googled “hummingbird moth Los Angeles” and was led here. First time I’ve ever seen one live, v. excited!
Some years they are more common than in other years. We would not expect large numbers during a record dry year.
I had 6 at the porch light in the front yard and 4 in the back patio here in Rancho Cucamonga, and I’ve never seen so many in such a short time.
Thanks for letting us know. We have also heard that the Painted Ladies are migrating in large numbers through Southern California right now.