Though not as common as the Clearwings, I have seen these beautiful White-lined Sphinx Hummingbird Moths (Hyles lineata) many times in my yard at dusk or just after dark. This one was out in the middle of the day though, flitting back and forth in the containers on my patio. It’s very hard to take a photo of them since they’re never still. I used a flash to capture these photos, click to enlarge.
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White-lined Sphinx at begonia flowers
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A closer look — check out the eye!
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[…] to get these. Both photos are clickable for larger versions. Also, see my newest post (Sept. 2010): Striped Hummingbird Moth for much better and closer […]
Sherry these are really great shots, I love them… I’ve never seen them before, how large are they…??
Hi Spider,
Thanks! These are so neat, I love seeing them in the garden. These white lined sphinx are very large moths, sometimes getting up to 5 inches in wingspan. I’m guessing this one was about 2 and a half.
-Sherry
I just saw a hummingbird moth on my deck. It was close to my chair hovering around my flowers. It stayed a few minutes. I was in awe.
I had never seen one before so I checked the internet and there it was.
I hope to see another one some day.
Hi Sharon,
Glad you got to see one! They are awesome. I even like to hear the whir of their wings. I’m sure you’ll see more around your flowers. They seem to be especially attracted to pink colors.
Thanks for visiting,
Sherry
Fabulous photos! I haven’t ever taken any of them ~ it’s usually too dark when I see them. You did a wonderful job and your garden looks great. That butterfly photo was pretty incredible too.
Thank you, Kathleen. They are so hard to capture, they’re never still! Glad you enjoyed the photos and thank you so much for your nice comments. I enjoy your blog and photos as well. (I share your dislike for those Ambush bugs!)
[…] Posts: Pink Striped Hummingbird Moth Hummingbird Moth Closeups More Hummingbird Moths In My Yard White-lined Sphinx Moths Snowberry Clearwing Hummingbird […]
I just saw a hummingbird moth on my Hostas today. I’m not sure which kind; it looked like the white lined, esp the abdomen, but I think the wings were darker…I now have a new found respect for plain old Hostas!!!
Good to know that they also come to hostas, John, thanks for posting!
We have one in our yard yesterday flying from zinnia to zinnia. Very fast but we got some very good photos.
anonymous, they are definitely fast fliers. glad you got some photos.
We just saw these for the first time in our back yard – in WI – terry pretty
Hi Mark and Mary,
thanks for sharing your sighting. yes, they are so pretty!
Thanks for helping us identify this! We’ve had a pair visiting our dark purple petunias for a week or so, only at night – they’re incredible! :)
Sorry – I meant to add our purple petunias are in Madison, Wisconsin :)
hi anonymous, oh you had a pair of them! I have seen one at my petunias also, they seem to love the purples and pinks.
Have one of these moths hanging out at our back deck. Have seen it for about a week now. It really loves my pink geraniums! Lapeer, MI
that’s great, Anonymous, thanks for sharing!
I saw two of these tonight on our dark purple butterfly bush in LaVista, Nebraska. They were so neat!!!
They are neat, Amye! I too had one visiting my purple butterfly bush.
I just watched one of these for about ten minutes in my front flower bed. They are gorgeous! I’ll have my digital SLR camera on the ready from now on.
I ve seen these several times downtown in flowers but tonight I was driving down the highway and I seen something stuck inside my wiper I thought It was a butterfly or moth so when I stopped I got it out and it was a little pink and gray hummingbird moth it’s barely hanging on I don’t know what to do with it? I put grass in a little open container with it hoping it would get enough strength to fly away but I don’t think it will happen):
I saw one of these for the first time! It was feeding in the most lush pot on my patio. I live in a NW suburb of Denver and rarely see hummingbirds, but am familiar with the species we get. Thinking it was a hummingbird I hadn’t seen, I researched it. I will be out at the same time this evening and hope to take a video.
Mary Anne, thanks for sharing your sighting, hope you got your video!
Had one hummingbird Hawk moth in my flowers last night and Steele countysherrif Minnesota
Had one hummingbird Hawk moth in my flowers last night in Steele county Minnesota
Years late but we just had a pair of these flitting between my pink phlox, purple butterfly bush and some pink sedum! We have hawk moths and hummingbirds, first time we’ve seen these so I was excited to see your post come up-thanks for help identifying! Around dusk, outside Mpls MN