I couldn't believe it! My hubby went out early this Father's Day morning to get a paper at the local gas station before church, and came home with a moth!!! Of course, I was delighted! Hubby was afraid someone would step on or otherwise harm it. Hummm, this sounds reminiscent to my dobsonfly post!!! You can read about that here: http://naturemom.blogspot.com/search/label/Dobsonfly
Anyway, the above is what he brought home. Yup, a beautiful sphinx moth!!! You can tell by the thin antennae that it's a female. Males have wider, more feathery antennae that pick up the pheromone scent produced by females.
It's true identity is still unknown. The closest sphinx species it resembles is the big poplar sphinx moth, but they have not been recorded--or updated--as being this far east. --LKR
Anyway, the above is what he brought home. Yup, a beautiful sphinx moth!!! You can tell by the thin antennae that it's a female. Males have wider, more feathery antennae that pick up the pheromone scent produced by females.
It's true identity is still unknown. The closest sphinx species it resembles is the big poplar sphinx moth, but they have not been recorded--or updated--as being this far east. --LKR
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2 comments:
This from Mike Reese of Wisconsin Butterflies: http://www.wisconsinbutterflies.org/
Leza,
It took me awhile but I finally got around to looking the photo again, and I do think that it is the Big Popular or Modest Sphinx (/Pachysphinx modesta/). I am still amazed at how variable these moths are.
I hope you have a great 2009.
Mike
Thanks, Mike!!! :-)
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