Abbott's Sphinx Moth vs Saddleback Caterpillar Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Abbott's Sphinx Moth Saddleback Caterpillar Moth
Scientific Name Sphecodina abbottii Acharia stimulea
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Sphingidae Limacodidae
Size 50-70 mm 26-35 mm wingspan
Habitat Underground Orchards
Diet Nectar Feeders Omnivores
Regions Eastern North America Eastern North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Abbott's Sphinx Moth

A unique hawk moth with scalloped brown wings and a yellow and brown banded body resembling a large hornet. Its flight is rapid and bee-like, flying mainly at dusk.

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Did You Know?

Abbott's sphinx is named after John Abbott, an 18th-century English naturalist who produced over 3,000 paintings of Georgian insects.

Saddleback Caterpillar Moth

A dark brown moth best known for its extraordinary caterpillar, which is bright green with a brown saddle-shaped marking and venomous spines. The sting causes intense burning pain.

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Did You Know?

Its sting is among the most painful of any North American caterpillar and can cause nausea in sensitive individuals.