sphinx moth

“A way to see the moths is looking at deep-throated flowers on summer nights, like Monarda, that the sphinx moths nectar at,” Mr. Cipkowski said.

And as a Nature’s Notebook participant, I’ve been delighted to witness green lynx spiders, crab spiders and sphinx moth larvae making their homes in the desert willow tree I observe in my backyard.

This year, an extraordinary proliferation of painted lady butterflies and sphinx moth caterpillars are part of the natural spectacle too.

A sphinx moth, a species with a wingspan as much as 5in across, was reported by a baffled resident as being some sort of bird.

“Unless this is a sphinx moth caterpillar who has been stressed and agitated into displaying its osmeterium,” says Jackson.