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
------------------------------------------------------------
For subscription and related information about LEPS-L visit:
http://www.peabody.yale.edu/other/lepsl
More information about the Leps-l
mailing list