#Sphinx moth

[onenicebugperday]

Unidentified sphinx moth caterpillar, Ambulycini, Sphingidae

Photographed in Singapore by Nicky Bay // Website // Facebook

Shared with permission; do not remove credit or re-post!

[textless]

A sphinx moth enjoying moonflowers in the garden.

Cochise County, Arizona, September 2023.

[autisticplants]

i found lots of different Eumorpha fasciatus caterpillar color morphs today!

[celestial-games]

This post is for hummingbird clearwing enjoyers only :]

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[herpsandbirds]

Pellucid Hawk Moth aka Coffee Bean Moth (Cephonodes hylas), family Sphingidae, Japan

Diurnal moth.

photograph by Yama Shigi

[coolbugs]

Bug of the Day

I was coming back in after a disappointing night at the lights last week, and came across this glorious chonkbeast on some Virginia creeper growing under my porch. This is a Pandora sphinx moth caterpillar (Eumorpha pandorus). Look at its squishy little donut feeties!!

[jenfoundabug]

I love sphinx moths. They're so chunky <3 Twin-spotted sphinx (Smerinthus jamaicensis)

Northeastern Pennsylvania, US

[mothmonarch]

🐛🌟 There's a lot of joy in the little things!🐝🐜 I've been working on some new delights behind the scenes. Until then, check out the many buggy creations ready to add a little brightness to your world! 💫

Only at shop.mothmonar.ch! 🦋

[have-you-seen-this-animal]

[miyrumiyru]

Two daylight moth friends forever!

[moths-daily]

Moth Of The Day #124

Pandora Sphinx Moth / Pandorus Sphinx Moth

Eumorpha pandorus

From the sphingidae family. They have a wingspan of 8.3-11.7 cm. They can be found throughout most of North America.

[onenicebugperday]

Death’s head hawkmoth, Acherontia atropos, Sphingidae

Photographed by Matthieu Berroneau

Shared with permission; do not remove credit or re-post!

[textless]

[bugkeeping]

Carolina sphinx Manduca sexta

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

Abbott's Sphinx Moth: this caterpillar has a false eye on its rump; it mimics the features of a vertebrate's eye, and even includes a white reflection spot

The formal name for this species is Sphecodina abbottii.

From Minnesota Seasons:

The caterpillar is up to 3″ (7.5 cm) long. Middle stage (instar) caterpillars are whitish to bluish-green. In place of the horn found on other sphinx caterpillars, there is a raised orange knob on the eighth abdominal segment (A8). Final instar caterpillars come in two color forms. The brown color form has longitudinal streaks of light and dark brown mimicking the color of a woody vine. The green form has on each abdominal segment a large, pale green, saddle-shaped spot on the upper side and a similar smaller spot on each side. The pattern is said to mimic a bunch of unripe grapes. Both forms have a black, raised, eye-like knob on A8 complete with a small white spot mimicking reflected light.

When the caterpillar is pinched or poked, it often squeaks and bites at the attacker.

The fully-developed moth also has a unique appearance -- it has an ash-grey/blue coloration with streaks of pink and black.

Sources & More Info:

Encyclopedia of Life: Sphecodina abbottii

Insect Identification: Abbott's Sphinx Moth

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee: Saukeville Field Station

Minnesota Seasons: Abbott's Sphinx Moth

University of Minnesota Garden Extension: Abbott's Sphinx

[herpsandbirds]

Oleander Sphinx Moth (Daphnis nerii), family Sphingidae, India

photograph by Shantanu Kuveskar