CLOSED: What is this critter?

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darius So.App.Mtns., United States(Zone 5b) Aug 01, 2002

I found it buzzing around my porch light at 2AM, and it finally landed on the screen door. Color is not too good in the photo. It was nearly 3" long, so photo is nearly life-size.

This message was edited Thursday, Aug 1st 10:47 AM

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mark Antrim, Northern Ire, United Kingdom(Zone 8b) Aug 01, 2002

I'll tell you what it is!

it's gorgeous

and most like one of the Hawk moths or Sphinx moths

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tiG Newnan, GA(Zone 8a) Aug 01, 2002

it is really cool!!

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Badseed Hillsboro, OH(Zone 6a) Aug 01, 2002

I caught one of these when I was a little girl. It was so neat I put it in a coffee can so I could take it to school the next day. Much to my dismay, it had beat itself to death in the can. I felt horrible! Aren't they cool???

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Lophophora Tokyo, Japan Aug 01, 2002

Congrats darius - you got a great pic of one of the most beautiful N. American Moths! (IMHO ;)

As mark said, a Hawk Moth (Sphingidae), either a
Pandorus sphinx (Eumorpha pandorus) http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/moths/nc/1053.htm
or an
Intermediate sphinx (Eumorpha intermedia) http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/moths/nc/1051.htm

I'd put my money on it being the Pandorus...

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REDROSE New Iberia, LA(Zone 9a) Aug 01, 2002

Oh my that's so beautiful!

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poppysue Westbrook, ME(Zone 5a) Aug 01, 2002

Great picture!

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gardenwife Newark, OH(Zone 5b) Aug 01, 2002

Zoinks -- That's great, Darius! Oh, I'd have loved to have seen that handsome thing on my door. *drool*

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darius So.App.Mtns., United States(Zone 5b) Aug 02, 2002

Lophophora, Thanks! I looked at both links, and I'm not sure. I did notice the area for the Intermediate sphinx is smaller, and NC is listed, if that means anything.

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Floridian Lutz, FL(Zone 9b) Aug 02, 2002

That's a great picture. And what a beautiful moth!

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