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Photo#1700384
Sphinx Moth  - Xylophanes libya

Sphinx Moth - Xylophanes libya
Long Key Nature Center, Davie, Broward County, Florida, USA
June 29, 2019
On a fairly regular basis we find these moths that, at first glance look like Tersa Sphinx, but are grey or olive green with dark shaded spots, and with one of the longitudinal lines made of black dots. It is clearly not a Tersa, perhaps it is a X. libya, although it is not listed anywhere as occurring in Florida. Maybe another Xylophanes species? Whatever it is, I suspect it is breeding since we have seen it in different months of the year over the course of at least the last 2 years (maybe longer). Expert help to i.d. would be appreciated.

Images of this individual: tag all
Sphinx Moth  - Xylophanes libya Libya Sphinx Moth  - Xylophanes libya

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ID
Identification confirmed as X. libya by Jean Haxaire.

Moved
Moved from ID Request.

Xylophanes
X. libya does indeed show up from time to time in South Florida, and this might be it. I am getting the ID verified by Xylophanes expert, Jean Haxaire.

If you are seeing these regularly enough, they may be breeding in Florida. Look for the "eyed" caterpillars on Psychotria spp.

Sphinx moth
There is a record of a possible X. libya from s. Florida in BugGuide.
See: https://bugguide.net/node/view/1023863/bgimage

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