Hawkmoth
Guides
Sphinx vashti
Vashti Sphinx
Sphinx vashti, the Vashti sphinx, is a moth in the family Sphingidae. It is found in western North America from British Columbia to Manitoba and south to southern California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and western Texas. The species exhibits highly variable forewing coloration ranging from pale to very dark gray, with distinctive black dashes and a black hindwing featuring white bands. It has one brood per year.
Xylophanes libya
Libya sphinx
Xylophanes libya, commonly known as the Libya sphinx, is a hawkmoth in the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by Herbert Druce in 1878. It has a broad distribution across the Americas, ranging from southern Texas through Central America to South America. Adults are active year-round in parts of their range, with specific seasonal records from southern Texas in October and Bolivia in April. The larvae feed on several species of Psychotria.
Xylophanes pluto
Pluto sphinx
Xylophanes pluto, commonly known as the Pluto sphinx, is a hawkmoth in the family Sphingidae. It is distinguished from congeners by a prominent broad chrome-yellow band across the wings. The species occurs from Argentina northward through Central America to the southern United States, with multiple generations per year in Florida and Texas and year-round activity in tropical regions. Larvae feed on specific host plants including Chiococca, Erythroxylum, Hamelia patens, and Morinda royoc.
Xylophanes tersa
Tersa Sphinx
Xylophanes tersa, commonly known as the tersa sphinx, is a moth in the family Sphingidae first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1771. It occurs across a broad geographic range from the eastern and central United States through Mexico, the West Indies, Central America, and into South America. The species is notable for its distinctive wing pattern and is recognized as a pollinator with documented larval associations with multiple plant genera.