Season of the Sphinx
Sphinx
Sphinx and Moonflower
Another -
Up close -
Some super-NICE shots, jmorth!!
And a stunningly beautiful 'silken' moonflower .. in that last one!!
- Magpye
And there is your tomato hornworm FlyboyFl - when he grows up.
That moonflower is beautiful
Great pics Jmorth !!I have been stalking my moonvine ever since it began blooming this year, and I have yet to see a sphinx moth this season. I am watching at dusk and thereafter. I have seen them in all the previous years and got a picture or two, though not as clear as yours. I even planted it in the same place, maybe they will come later than I expected.
What time of day were these pictures taken? Any tips on attracting them would be greatly appreciated.
~Debnes
Please send them South lol:-)
I love your photos!! And they must have been taken at night? Maybe you have a tripod, or a very fast shutter speed. Anyway, very impressive.
Peggy
Great pics! Reminds me that my moonvines disappeared and I forgot to plant more! :( Oh well, I've got a Datura (moonflower) with about 69 blooms on in tonight! I think I'll go see if I've got any moths!
Outstanding!! Paige, cant wait to see that one!
You should have been here last night then! It won't be as pretty but it will still have blooms on it.
Is the Sphinx moth the same as a hummingbird moth? I saw one of those today on my clerodendrum (I think). Karen
I saw mine for the firt time this year on my Salvia black & blue. they ignored everything else. They were out the same time as the hummingbirds, I could hear one and see the other. Wonderful!
plantnutga
The pics were taken in the latter stages of dusk into full night.
The sphinx were orginally drawn to the garden by Flowering Tobacco. When the moonflowers started opening they got an extra incentive.
Good photos are at about a 1 to 3 ratio (3 rejects to 1 good).
The name Sphinx is often interchangeable with Hummingbird Moth or Hawkmoth.
Here's a couple of pics of them gathering nectar from Nicotiana:
Note the length of his nectar gathering tool.
A penulitimate attainment in my sphinx saga, two at once.
Yay! I was correct. I did see one the same day as my first hummingbird. But have not seen either since. Karen
Awesome J!
I actually have nicotianna and 4 o'clocks too, so I will just chill out and wait for them.
Do you think frost will come early? Usually the harvest moon comes in October, this year, early on in September...Just wondering what ya think.
btw~ I loved your rock pictures. I may be sharing some of the pictures I took in there also, when I get time.
~Debnes
they also love Brugmansia and Datura 2 other night bloomers