I had a flying critter in my pentas the other day that looked like a hummingbird, but was about 1/3 the size, dark body and translucent wings and it didn't get skitterish and fly away when I came near. Same behavior as a hummer, but really looked more like a small flying insect. Before I saw your picture, I was sure I had seen a hummingbird moth. Ever seen such a thing in your garden?

Hello Padraig_1,

Yes, some are as you saw as below, the Snowberry Clearwing and the Common Clearwing below.

Check out the link below for more details and pictures.

Wildcat

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Here is a link that might be useful: Royal BC Museum - Sphinx Moths

I have seen those things here not this year though but last. I wonder if you could put the caterpillars in a little butterfly screen house and feed them leaves and watch thier transformation.

Don't forget there is the Tomato Hornworm and Tabacco Hornworm, both adult moths are referred to as Sphinx, Hawk or Hummingbird Moths
Both larvae are pests of Solanaceae crops.....
Moths are beneficial pollinators of many plants. I just did a pest report on these in Plant Problem Diagnosis this past spring quarter.

Vera

Here is a link that might be useful: Hornworm

Vera,

Yes, the tomato and tobacco hornworms are of the same family. One year, I had about 6-8 hornworms totally strip every leaf from about 6 bushy datura's in 2-3 days. Voracious appetites they have.

Thanks for the good link!

Wildcat

Thanks for the info and link, Wildcat. Never imagined we had so many moths on this planet! (I can do nicely without the worms, however.)

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Georgia_on_my_mind,

Wow! That is a fabulous picture!

Wildcat

Wildcat, your first pics show two different sphinxes. The top pic is that of the tobacco worm, Manduca sexta. However, the bottom pic is that of a white-lined sphinx, Hyles lineata. Lineatas are known to get on tomatoes and grape vines. They are one of the nation's most common [and most beautiful] sphingids as their larval diet is so diversified.

One thing to understand about the nightshade-eating sphingids, is that their relationship to Datura and Brugmansia is quite mutualistic, though to us, it looks rather one-sided. Those sphinx larvae or hornworms must have a solanaceous diet and your plants are one thing they can live on. In restropect, those huge, deep-throated flowers are not pollinated by butterflies. Occasionally small wasps can do it, but the sphinx moth [aka hawkmoth or hummingbird moth] are the best pollinators of such blooms. The moths need a lot ofnectar to feed on and the Datura/Brugmansia flower is just the perfect feeder. it's that copious amount of nectar which gives them their famous fragrance, too. The sphinx moth is nocturnal, too. Many Datura bloom best at night, when the moths are active. The benefit to the plants is pollination and ultimately, reproduction, which is worth the price of its foliage, which will grow back in due time.

The clearwing sphinx caterpillars are never a pest. The small hornworms feed on honeysuckle among other plants. Their small moths are uniquely diurnal and for protection, mimic the like-sized bumblebees! The sphinxes are truly great insects and are desrving of their place in the yard and garden!

I'm glad you did some research on sphingids, Vera. I seriously enjoy rearing these and the beautiful, but non-pollinating saturniids.

Hello Tomato_Worm59,

Yes, you are correct!

Thank you for the detailed information regarding these larva and moths. It is very interesting.

Even when I have seen Datura stripped bare by the hornworms, the plant does survive fine as the datura are very hardy.

And as it seems, many of the larva do not survive due to the parasitic wasps that inject their eggs into them for their larva to grow inside/outside the hornworms.

If you have any other websites...or information you can provide and educate us...it would be greatly appprecited.

Wildcat

Thanks for the info on these critters. Locally, we have a black hornworm that grows to gross proportions! It has been seen to dine on Aroids (elephant ear) leaves too.

Hello Zeta9,

Can you post a picture of your local black hornworm? How big does it get? Where abouts are you?

Wildcat

Wildcat, I'm from Singapore. The black worms are currently not in my garden (don't permit them to be anywhere near!!) but they have 2 fake "eyes" markings on each side of the yucky 3.5-4 inch black bodies. I think they hatch as little green catepillars though and slowly change to black. Its a nice tawny color sphinx month i think.

Zeta

Wow, Zeta! I don't consider any sphinx larva to be "yucky." I love sphingids! Please provide some with some food and habitat. There are sphinx moths as well as sat's in all countries of the world. I have a friend who is a federally-licensed insect importer, too. I'd love to be able to obtain some live pupae or even ova for this species f you can get some and I do need a correct common or scientific nam for it, also.

Is there a hummingbird moth that is orange with emerald green on the back of it's neck?

Frank

I found this in my backyard back in May...is it what one those moths?
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/namegal/msg0515473516700.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Moth?