Buff Arches vs Five-Spotted Hawk Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Buff Arches Five-Spotted Hawk Moth
Scientific Name Habrosyne pyritoides Manduca quinquemaculata
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Drepanidae Sphingidae
Size 38-43 mm wingspan 95-130 mm wingspan
Habitat Underground Farmland
Diet Omnivores Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe, temperate Asia Throughout North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Buff Arches

A moth with intricate grey, white, and buff patterns creating a complex marbled effect on its forewings. It is closely related to the peach blossom and shares its bramble association.

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Did You Know?

Its wing pattern is so complex that no simple description captures it, leading some to call it 'baroque'.

Five-Spotted Hawk Moth

A large mottled gray moth whose caterpillar is the familiar tomato hornworm with a distinctive black horn. The adult has five pairs of yellow-orange spots on its abdomen.

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Did You Know?

Its caterpillar is frequently confused with the tobacco hornworm but can be distinguished by its V-shaped white markings instead of diagonal stripes.