Sphinx moths wear a hummingbird disguise

March 7, 6:40 PMSF Wildlife ExaminerChris McLaughlin

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This is not a hummingbird.

The next time you see a hummingbird enjoying an afternoon sip of nectar from a penstemon plant in your garden – take a closer look. Because, it just may not be a hummingbird.

Sphinx moths or Hawk moths (Sphingidae) are hummingbird-size moths that you may have mistaken for the real McCoy. These insects are one of the coolest and fascinating guys to watch as they unfurl their long proboscis (feeding tube) to drink from nectar-rich flowers.

Sphinx moth

Sphinxs don’t behave like typical moths. They are not only different in their size and appearance, but they also hang out in the daytime, incognito, with their cousins the butterflies. With bodies are 2 ½ – 3 ½ inches long and wingspans of 2 -8 inches, they’re virtual monsters in the moth world.

Sphingidae has long, narrow forewings and shorter hind wings. Some species have brightly colored markings such as the White-lined sphinx moth (Hiles lineate), which has bright pink on their wings.

The tomato hornworm is a young sphinx moth.

In Bay Area gardens, you will not only see the White-lined sphinx, but the Tomato sphinx (Manduca sexta). There is another species called the Kern Primrose sphinx moth (Euproserpinus euterpe) that was thought to be extinct until its rediscovery in 1974.

This species is found only in two sites at the southern end of California’s central valley. Kern County is one area and a second population was recently discovered in San Luis Obispo County.

You’ll find hawk moths in meadows, woodlands, and gardens. They especially enjoy native plants such as California Fuscia (Zauschineria californica), Evening Primrose (Oenothera hookeri), Desert Bluebell (Phacelia campanularia), and Sages (Salvia spp.).

Here’s the best part. You’ve met them before as babies. Introducing – the tomato hornworm! Yes folks, those fat, alien-type creatures that give you the willies when you’re harvesting tomatoes turn out to be pretty cool characters as adults.