Try Nessus Sphinx (Amphion floridensis)

Michael Gochfeld gochfeld at eohsi.rutgers.edu
Wed Jun 6 06:21:00 EDT 2001


I hope I am reaching the right people to help me identify what I believe 
to be a member of the moth family, that I have never seen before. 
My husband and I were sitting on our front porch when this bug, for lack 
of a better term came buzzing around the flowers in our flower bed. It 
looked like a miniature humming bird/hornet/moth. It was sucking the 
nectar from the plants like a humming bird, it had two yellow circular 
stripes at the end of its body, and when it finally landed, its wings 
had some color to them, and were shaped like a moths or small butterfly 
wings.  Can you tell me what it is?  I am very curious. I've never seen 
one around  these parts before. We live just north of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Thank You For Your Help.
The Bishops
-------------------------------
This sounds like a pretty good description of Nessus Sphinx moth 
(Amphion floridensis (formerly called A. nessus). Unlike the two common 
"Clearwing" Sphinx moths which behave similarly, we only have seen this 
in the late afternoon until dusk (central NJ). 
M. Gochfeld

 
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