Sphinx Moth

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

Tomato Hornworm

This is the time of year tomatoes are typically started by seed in our home. Many more are planted than we can use with the hopes of sharing them with a usually undesirable pest: the tomato hornworm, known as the Five-Spotted Hawk Moth in its adult stage.

These moths, part of the Spingidae family, have a wing-span of 4-5 inches. They are commonly called "hummingbird", "hawk", or sphinx" moths.

It's hard to believe, but I only ever remember seeing one of these my whole entire life. My mother would find them on our tomato plants and squish them before I could ever see--and rescue--them. The one pictured here is one that was found on a potted tomato plant of ours several years ago in IL.

We overwintered this little guy in a pot of soil on our front porch, and sadly, he never emerged. --LKR