Cantor's Hawk Moth vs Tersa Sphinx Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Cantor's Hawk Moth Tersa Sphinx Moth
Scientific Name Ambulyx cantorii Xylophanes tersa
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Sphingidae Sphingidae
Size 85-115 mm 60-80 mm
Habitat Forests Woodlands
Diet Fruit Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions India, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia Southern United States, Central America, South America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Cantor's Hawk Moth

A large leaf-mimicking hawk moth with intricately patterned brown and cream forewings. Named after the zoologist Theodore Edward Cantor, it inhabits forests of South and Southeast Asia.

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Did You Know?

When resting among leaf litter, Ambulyx cantorii is virtually invisible, its wing patterns perfectly mimicking a dried curled leaf.

Tersa Sphinx Moth

A sleek hawk moth with narrow, pointed forewings in lavender-gray with darker streaks. It is a fast and agile flier found throughout the Americas.

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Did You Know?

The tersa sphinx caterpillar has a series of large eyespots along its body that create a convincing snake-mimic appearance.