A White-lined Sphinx Moth

By Steve Creek | Published September 12, 2011

A White-lined Sphinx Moth

A White-lined Sphinx Moth

A White-lined Sphinx Moth

A White-lined Sphinx Moth

White-lined Sphinx moths with their large, plump bodies and relatively smaller wing surfaces must beat their wings very fast in order to stay aloft. Although they are constructed very differently from hummingbirds, White-lined Sphinx moths are able to hover hummingbird-like in mid-air as they sip flower nectar due to their similarly rapidly beating wings. (Source:Firefly Forest)

Adults usually fly at dusk, during the night, and at dawn, but they will also fly during the day. I photographed this one around noon.

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8 Comments

  1. Posted September 12, 2011 at 9:54 am by Aristarkhos | Permalink

    Fan-tastic!! Aerial refueling… awesome!

  2. Posted September 12, 2011 at 10:19 am by Steve Creek | Permalink

    Thank you!

  3. Posted September 12, 2011 at 11:26 am by Frank Dyer | Permalink

    Thanks again Steve for the memories. As a kid I caught these moths in the evening around Jimson weed flowers on our OK farm. Do you have Jimson weeds around where you live. We had these moths on moon vine flowers in Knoxville, TN in 2008, but I never saw them in mid day.

  4. Posted September 12, 2011 at 3:32 pm by MikeyBoy | Permalink

    Great shots Steve

  5. Posted September 12, 2011 at 10:24 pm by Steve Creek | Permalink

    Thanks Frank and Mikey!

  6. Posted September 13, 2011 at 6:19 am by Wolfy | Permalink

    Steve,

    I just posted a blog entry with a white-lined sphinx moth caterpillar. Wish I had seen your post earlier – I would have used your moth photo ( with applicable credits, of course!) in the post.

    Great work as always

  7. Posted September 13, 2011 at 7:53 am by Lisa Salt | Permalink

    Wow!! Excellent captures Steve. Beautiful moth :)

  8. Posted September 13, 2011 at 8:02 am by Steve Creek | Permalink

    Thanks Wolfy and Lisa!

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