The extent and intensity of the stripes and spots varies among individuals. The typical Midwestern color morph is green (dark to lime green) with a series of black lengthwise stripes along with yellow and orange or pink dots. This is not a stinger and the caterpillar is harmless to humans. This horn may be yellow or orange, sometimes with a black tip. The caterpillars are quite variable in color but all have a pointed horn at the back end. The resulting larvae feed on plant leaves. White-lined sphinx caterpillar, green morph.Īdult females lay their eggs on plants in the spring, with each female capable of producing hundreds of eggs. They may also be seen resting on buildings after being attracted to a bright light at night. Some flowers they frequent include cardinal flower ( Lobelia cardinalis), columbine, evening primrose, honeysuckle, hosta, Jimson weed ( Datura meteloides), lilac, penstemon, petunia, and phlox. When flying during the day they like brightly colored flowers but in the evening, they prefer white or pale-colored flowers which are easier to see in the dark in contrast against green foliage. They are especially attracted to scented flowers. In poor light they can easily be mistaken for hummingbirds as they hover at tubular flowers, sipping nectar with a long proboscis. By beating their wings rapidly, these agile fliers are able to hover like a hummingbird in mid-air.Ī white-lined sphinx moth hovers to take nectar from penstemon flowers with its long proboscis. With their large, plump bodies and relatively small wing surfaces, they must beat their wings very fast, compared to butterflies, in order to stay aloft. The adults are primarily nocturnal fliers but are sometimes seen during the day, too. The black hindwings are bright reddish-pink in the middle. Each dark olive brown-colored forewing has a broad tan band going from the base to the tip of the wing, crossed by a series of thin white stripes along the wing veins. It has long, narrow, triangular forewings and shorter hindwings, with a wingspan of 2½ to 3½ inches. This is a large, stout-bodied moth with a furry brown body crossed by six white stripes. There are normally at least two generations per year, with multiple generations in warmer climates. Such explosive outbreaks, especially common in the dry country of the west, provide moths that emigrate to colonize more northern areas. Larvae can occasionally occur in tremendous numbers and can move in hordes in search of food, consuming entire plants and covering roadways in slick masses. Moths first appear in mid-May and a second flight occurs in late August to September, although abundance varies from year to year. It does not survive our harsh winters but moves up from the south most springs. The white-lined sphinx moth, Hyles lineata, is a common sphingid moth that occurs throughout most of North America, from southern Canada down to Central America. Adult white-lined sphinx moths are often seen feeding at flowers
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