I'm glad you all like it. Elisabeth, I have a Canon EOS 50D. Susan, that is a dandelion. I was using a 36mm extension tube on my long telephoto so I could shoot the photo from a few feet away. Will try the 20mm tube today and see how it works. randy

bandjzmom, that book is where I found it. But wasn't sure. I checked BugGuide and these look like many of those pics. I haven't found any big late instar cats yet or any itty-bitties, but various sizes in between. There's a bunch of them, don't know how many yet. I did a quick check a while back when I first noticed the damage on the plant, but didn't find anything. With skeeters all over, it was too hard to stand out there and really check better then. Yay! Haven't had these cats before!

"Life Cycle Two generations per year. Larvae feed on dogbane (Apocynum), honeysuckle (Lonicera), bush honeysuckle (Diervilla), and snowberry (Symphoricarpos). In Piedmont, North Carolina, seem to prefer the native Coral Honeysuckle, Lonicera sempervirens." Here is a link that might be useful: Hemaris diffinis - Snowberry Clearwing

Susan, I am having trouble with my computer today. This is my third try at a response, and of course, my responses get shorter with each try. I would think that you could start a sassafras from a cutting. I hope some of those cuttings have enough buds. I got them from a wooded area near where I live, and they are all new growth. I found a small sassafras at a local nursery, but it doesn't have enough leaves yet to sustain cats. I know the trees are available from the different native plants dealers. My spicebush is getting bare from all the cats feeding on it, so I collected enough leaves to feed my cats also. I'm glad you are enjoying the SBSTs. Photo Op? LOL The RAs made it and are settled in. One of the GFs that you gave me is about ready to pupate. When I got home, I found that a lot of the GF eggs I had brought in from the passiflora had hatched, so I'm in the GF business! My son said we had rain and wind here while I was gone. My Buttonbush is leaning, so I'll have to prop it up. It's exciting about your Tersa Sphinx. I raised a few some years back. They literally stripped the red penta bare. I remember trying to research what they were, and had a hard time locating info. It's amazing how much you can learn online now. Just like this forum. I raised BFs for years not knowing there was such a wonderful resource as close as my computer. I had 2 B&N gift cards that I used last week to get Peterson's Caterpillars of Eastern U.S. It's terrific. I know I will get lots of use out of it IDing the weird cats I seem to find here. The cover was a little worn, so they gave me a discount. Pity the poor guy who comes in and tries to find it to use for a reference! I so enjoyed seeing your BF garden and all the BFs flying around. You have a great BF area. And the hummers were fun, too. Sandy