Mystery Bug: What is It??????

[DAP]

These amazing flying bugs (moth family????) are all around the house and perennials. I have not a clue what the sam-hill they are.

They have rapid wing movement (2 pairs) and are ummm ... large, a little smaller than hummingbirds, which is what I thought it was from a distance, and fly at nearly the same speeds. Most moths don't fly like these guys. The on-line BUG ID sites only take you to the genus or order, and don't identify to the species.

Stumped here .... Anyone?

 

[billbobtlh]

We call those tobacco moths.
They get huge for a bug.http://ipmwww.ncsu.edu/AG271/tobacco/hornworms.html

 

[DAP]

Thanks bill. After looking at your link, and a number of associated photos, I don't think this is a tobacco hornmoth. I could be wrong obviously, but the pics I've looked at show a spotted tarsis where as my bug is banded. Also, the wings are transparent.

 

[Golfgar4]

Well Doug, the mystery increases!

I've seen the exact same bug outside my house here in Wisconsin. So, it's not any kind of regional thing. /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif/w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif

 

[DAP]

Any larger and it would have a stewardess!

 

[Golfgar4]

I hear that! /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

The first one that I saw was under our awning, and I thought the thing was gonna bust right through it! It kept flying away from the fabric and then taking a run at it and bouncing off. Did that about 4 or 5 times, then decided to go somewhere else. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

 

[CSAW]

OK Doug now you have me worried. You're not keeping people your basement or hang out with people named Hannibal do you? /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

It might be a Hummingbird moth. Do a search on Yahoo and look at some pics. Looks like it might be one to me.

 

[BB_TX]

Use to see those (or something similar) around here in N TX. Never did know what they were and haven't seen one in years. Good to see one again even if it is picture.

 

[DAP]

BINGO ... clearly, after your tip, it is a Sphinx Moth. OR otherwise called a Clearwing Moth of which there are 3, Hummingbird, Slender or White-lined. All three are regularly confused with hummingbirds.

Referring to this <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/moths/usa/1061.htm>site</A>, I believe it to be a Slender Clearwing.

I knew TBN braintrust would solve this rapidly.

Thanks.

 

[ByuBill]

<font color=blue>Referring to this site, I believe it to be a Slender Clearwing.</font color=blue>

After going to that site and looking at your photo, I tend to agree with you. I have seen them in La. but haven't seen any in NC as of yet.

On another note. While visiting the site that you refered, I noticed that North Dakota has been moved East of Nova Scotia and Maine. /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif Did I sleep too long or something? /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif I'll bet that surprised a lot of people when their road trip to Minn. took them into the ocean. /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif

 

[DAP]

South eastern part of Canada has about 1500 miles of virgin ocean frontage too!

 

[patrickg]

See plate tectonics for explanation of apparent mislocation of a portion of the NA continent.

Don't worry good minds are at work on this "problem". See also:

The Wimble family home page,
including information about creating family histories, the Society for
the Prevention of Plate Tectonics,

Patrick

 

[Steven]

I would say it is a hummingbird moth. If you have ever seen one fly around a plant it has the same motions as a hummingbird. It flies in all directions at very fast speeds in and out of the flowers, has a long tube sticking out of its head like a straw. fun to watch. The first time i saw one I had no idea what it was had to look it up in my library of audubon books and there it was.

 

[DAP]

Steven, all 4 of the clearwing moths fly like hummingbirds, or so the literature I've read states.
/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif