Hey Everyone,
We found this moth on our window this week, and “huge” might be an understatement. It was almost the size of your hand. At that point, are we still calling it a bug, or should we be checking for a flight plan?
Naturally, we had to find out a little more about our visitor.
It appears to be a rustic sphinx moth, a member of the hawk moth family found here in Arizona. These impressive moths can have a wingspan of 3½ to nearly 6 inches. Apparently, everything in the desert comes in either “barely visible” or “you can see it from the driveway.”
A few interesting things about our oversized guest:
🦋 They’re part of the nighttime pollination crew. While bees get most of the credit, these moths visit flowers after dark, sipping nectar through a long, straw-like mouthpart and moving pollen along the way.
🌸 They can pass for hummingbirds. Their large bodies, quick flight, and ability to feed while hovering can make you look twice when one visits your flowers.
🌳 That busy wing pattern is camouflage. The brown, gray, black, and white markings help them blend into tree bark. Our window screen wasn’t quite the disguise this one was hoping for.
🐛 They start out as big green hornworms. The caterpillars can reach about three inches long. Despite its intimidating name, the little horn on the rear is harmless.
🏺 “Sphinx” comes from a caterpillar pose. When the caterpillar raises its head and front end, it resembles a miniature version of Egypt’s Great Sphinx.
Before becoming a moth, the caterpillar burrows into the soil to pupate. Quite the transformation—from underground resident to a flying creature that looks like it should have landing lights.
Have you spotted any of these around your house? We’d love to see pictures of your unusually large backyard visitors!
Have a great weekend!
Your Foothills Chiropractic Team
PS: We open Friday starting at 8am to take care of that neck or back pain before the weekend gets here. Call 480-488-1282 to schedule, or just walk in.