Tag Archives: white-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata)

Always fleeting

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Life moves pretty fast.  If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.
— Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Sometimes they chase their shadows.

A velvet ant (Dasymutilla sp.) in flight (IMG_3659)

Sometimes their shadows chase them.

A giant swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) in flight (IMG_3537)

And sometimes their shadows hide beneath them, holding them up, providing the foundation upon which they travel.

A Virginia opossum (a.k.a. possum or tlacuache; Didelphis virginiana) trotting through a clearing (2009_04_19_016210)

Observing wildlife is one thing, but photographing it is another.  Because life is always fleeting.

A juvenile American robin (Turdus migratorius) in flight (2009_09_06_028805)

Sometimes together.

Rock doves (a.k.a. common pigeons; Columba livia) in flight (2008_12_07_000543_ab)

Sometimes alone.

A nutria (a.k.a. coypu; Myocaster coypus) swimming in calm water (2009_06_01_021672)

Sometimes in the city.

A cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) in flight (2009_05_17_019619)

Sometimes in the wild.

A diamondback water snake (Nerodia rhombifer) swimming through a creek (2009_06_06_022472)

Sometimes up close.

A variegated fritillary (Euptoieta claudia) in flight (IMG_3174)

Sometimes at a distance.

A Forster's tern (Sterna forsteri) in flight (2009_12_26_046986)

But always fleeting.

A white-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata) in flight (2009_07_18_026922)

Yes, life moves pretty fast.  If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

— — — — — — — — — —

Photos:

  1. Velvet ant (Dasymutilla sp.) flying over open ground in East Texas; this female will lose her wings and become a typical velvet ant as soon as she selects a good hunting-cum-nesting site
  2. Giant swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes); this is the largest butterfly in Canada and the United States
  3. Virginia opossum (a.k.a. possum or tlacuache; Didelphis virginiana); this is the only marsupial found north of Mexico
  4. Juvenile American robin (Turdus migratorius)
  5. Rock doves (a.k.a. common pigeons; Columba livia)
  6. Nutria (a.k.a. coypu; Myocaster coypus)
  7. Cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) in breeding plumage
  8. Diamondback water snake (Nerodia rhombifer)
  9. Variegated fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)
  10. Forster’s tern (Sterna forsteri)
  11. White-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata)

put on your faces – earth day 2010

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Today is Earth Day 2010.  For forty years this annual event has served to focus attention on issues such as conservation, pollution, climate and sustainability.  That 2010 is also the International Year of Biodiversity makes this Earth Day even more important.

Every 24 hours approximately 100 species go extinct, relegated forever to the past tense.  It seems to me that every day should be Earth Day.  But since I have no interest in preaching, I thought I’d mark this event with a special edition of put on your faces.  Because it’s faces like these that we stand to lose.

Close-up of a mallard duckling (Anas platyrhynchos) (2009_06_03_021795)

Mallard duckling (Anas platyrhynchos)

Close-up of a white-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata) as it feeds (2009_07_18_026958_c)

White-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata)

Close-up of a juvenile male blackbuck (a.k.a. Indian antelope; Antilope cervicapra) (2009_05_22_020931)

Blackbuck (a.k.a. Indian antelope; Antilope cervicapra); juvenile male

Close-up of a green heron (Butorides virescens) (2009_09_05_028705)

Green heron (Butorides virescens)

Close-up of a fox squirrel (a.k.a. eastern fox squirrel, stump-eared squirrel, raccoon squirrel or monkey-faced squirrel; Sciurus niger) (2009_09_27_029754)

Fox squirrel (a.k.a. eastern fox squirrel, stump-eared squirrel, raccoon squirrel or monkey-faced squirrel; Sciurus niger); male

Close-up of a green anole (a.k.a. Carolina anole; Anolis carolinensis) (20080817_11010_c)

Green anole (a.k.a. Carolina anole; Anolis carolinensis); male

Close-up of a differential grasshopper (Melanoplus differentialis) (2009_10_02_029993)

Differential grasshopper (Melanoplus differentialis); male

Close-up of a male great-tailed grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) (2009_10_25_034089)

Great-tailed grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus); male

Close-up of a male fallow deer (Dama dama) (2009_05_22_020739)

Fallow deer (Dama dama); light morph male (buck/stag)

A ‘Dear Mom’ letter

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Dear Mom –

I know you’ve been trying desperately to capture a few images of the giant hummingbird-like moth visiting your flowers.  As it happens, the same flowers that bring you all the hummingbirds also bring you these massive insects.

I’m sorry to report I couldn’t find the same species you’re seeing, at least not in my neck of the woods.  Nevertheless, I did happen to stumble upon another of these marvelous creatures while taking a walk yesterday morning.

A white-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata) hovering over flowers as it feeds (2009_07_18_026904)

I spied what I thought was a hummingbird flitting about someone’s flower garden.  After looking both ways just as you taught me, I crossed the street and played stalker on the sidewalk while aiming a camera into their flowerbed.

A white-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata) hovering over flowers as it feeds (2009_07_18_026911)

Sure, I got some strange looks by passersby, yet I’m never one to let that stop me from snapping photos of cool things.  Well, at least until they call the cops…  Then I run!

A white-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata) hovering over flowers as it feeds (2009_07_18_026914)

Nothing could have chased me away, however, for this beauty was as large as a female ruby-throated hummingbird and deserved my attention.  (I say ‘as large as’ for a ruby-throated hummingbird showed up to defend her food, and that provided an opportunity to see them side by side before the moth flew away.  Amazing thing to see an insect and bird in the same space where both are equal in size and magic…)

A white-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata) hovering over flowers as it feeds (2009_07_18_026933)

This critter is a white-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata).  Like your sphinx, it feeds like a hummingbird: flitting from flower to flower, wings always going at high speed, never sitting still for more than a second.  Unlike hummingbirds, though, these moths never land while eating.

A white-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata) hovering over flowers as it feeds (2009_07_18_026955)

There are plenty of moths who do this: only a fraction of all moths, sure, but still quite a few species.  You’d be amazed at how difficult it’s been trying to figure out which one is haunting the family farm and vexing you so.

A white-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata) hovering over flowers as it feeds (2009_07_18_026958)

All we need is a good look: a few good photos to solve the mystery.

A white-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata) hovering over flowers as it feeds (2009_07_18_026950)

Meanwhile, I hope these satiate your want for spying one with a bit more clarity, a bit more color.  I can’t tell you how marvelous it was to be so close to one while it tended to the business at hand without worrying about me.

And when I’m out there next, we’ll see what we can do about identifying your visitor.

All my love!

– On