National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

Klamath Network Featured Creature December 2009

White-line Sphinx ( lineata)

Where to see it in the Klamath Parks: Reproduction and Development: The White-lined Sphinx occurs throughout the Eggs are laid on the surfaces of leaves, FIELD NOTES: region, though it is most abundant in and around which provide food for the larvae upon

the Cascades and Siskiyou Mountains, and likely a hatching. Caterpillars pupate in shallow General Description: common resident of Whiskeytown, Oregon Caves, burrows in the ground. Massive population Sphinx are among the most Crater Lake, and Lassen Volcanic. buildups occur, especially in desert areas, arresting of our western lepidopterans. and can impact crops. These majestic, hummingbird-sized moths often have bold and elegant markings on the wings and body. The Habitat: White-lined Sphinx, like other members White-line Sphinx moths are very of the has a stout, yet widespread and occur in open forests and streamlined body and elongated outer woodlands, chaparral, and desert areas, and wings. The upper side of the forewing is in mixed use rural areas at low to moderate dark olive brown with paler brown along elevations. They gather nectar from a wide the costa (front wing edge) and outer variety of native and non-native plants, margin, a narrow tan band runs from the including willow herb (), four wing tip to the base, and white streaks o'clock (), evening primrose along the veins. The upper side of the (), grape (Vitis), hindwing is black with a coral band (Lycopersicon), purslane (Portulaca), and Fuschia. across its center. The upper side of the thorax is covered with downy hair and bold white striping. The tongue is Distribution: exceptionally long, over two times the The White-lined Sphinx has been body length! documented throughout much of North America. In most regions, it is the most Larvae (caterpillars) are large, smooth- commonly occurring member of the skinned, hairless, and green with a large Sphingidae. spur on the eighth abdominal segment. The family name stems from the alarm posture of the larvae, which rears its forequarters back and tucks its head downward like the Egyptian Sphinx upon threat.

Behavior: Adults usually fly at dusk, during the night, and at dawn, but they will also fly during the day. Because of their large, plump bodies and relatively small wing More Information: surfaces, they must beat their wings very Powell, J. A., and C. L. Hogue. 1979. California . University of California fast in order to stay aloft. Although they Press. are constructed very differently from hummingbirds, White-lined Sphinx http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/specie moths are able to hover hummingbird- s?l=3477 like in mid-air as they sip flower nectar due to their similarly rapidly beating http://www.all-creatures.org/aw/moth- wings. This is an example of convergent wlsphinx.html evolution in foraging and flight behavior. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyles_lineata