2 pictures for you
After bemoaning the lack of good moth books, I just discovered your wonderful site. Thanks! This is a sphinx larva, full view (the best color) and close up of the beautiful false eye. I took the picture with my digital in the Chihuahuan Desert in far West Texas just a few days ago. There were about 8 larvae on the plant, all about the same size. Do you know what moth it will be? Thanks for the photos and i.d. of the beautiful Tursa moth. I’ve had one in my back yard, (it is strangely “tame” , allowing many photos while it sat on my hand) but had no idea of it’s identity – and it’s not in any of my insect or butterfly/moth books. I live in Central Texas. Can you tell me what the larva feed on?
Carol Ann Wadley
Hi Carol Ann,
We identified your Xylophanes falco Caterpillar on Bill Oehlke’s excellent website. It is in the same genus as the Tersa Sphinx, but it has no common name. The larvae feed on Bouvardia glaberrima in the madder family (Rubiaceae).