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MartyJo Fayette, IA(Zone 4b) Sep 14, 2006

This big guy must have washed into this empty container of soil in recent heavy rains. He's a good 3" long and a half inch around. Who is he?

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MartyJo Fayette, IA(Zone 4b) Sep 14, 2006

Better shot -

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TomH3787 Raleigh, NC(Zone 7b) Sep 14, 2006

Based on the size it's a moth cat, not a butterfly. It looks like a sphinx moth larva (not all of them have "horns"). Maybe Eumorpha pandorus.

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lwhalliday Pittsboro, NC(Zone 7a) Sep 14, 2006

Here's a pic:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/29546/bgimage

and here's some info. Scroll down to the info regarding the larva.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/3937

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MartyJo Fayette, IA(Zone 4b) Sep 15, 2006

Thanks, guys, I think you've got it. I had looked at hummingbird moths and some other hornworms, but couldn't find these markings. Who knew there were so many sphinx moth varieties! What a cool moth - I'll have to start watching for them. Did you notice in the second picture, that's the tail end of a Virginia creeper hanging down above it? Sort of confirms your ID, doesn't it?

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DonnaB Vancleave, MS(Zone 8b) Sep 15, 2006

yes a Pandorus Sphinx. Wow what a lucky find. I have seen the adult once and it was beautiful

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