Common Carpet Moth vs Blackburn's Sphinx Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Common Carpet Moth	Blackburn's Sphinx Moth
Scientific Name	Epirrhoe alternata	Manduca blackburni
Order	Lepidoptera	Lepidoptera
Family	Geometridae	Sphingidae
Size	22-27 mm wingspan	100-120 mm wingspan
Habitat	Grasslands	Heathland
Diet	Omnivores	Nectar Feeders
Regions	Europe, Asia, North America	Oceania (Hawaii)
Conservation	Least Concern	Endangered

Common Carpet Moth

A small moth with distinctive dark and light banded forewings creating a chequered pattern. It is double-brooded and flies from May to September.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the most widespread geometrid moths, found across three continents.

Blackburn's Sphinx Moth

The largest native insect in Hawaii, this sphinx moth has a wingspan up to 120 mm. It was once widespread across the islands but is now extremely rare due to habitat loss and invasive species. Its larvae originally fed on native aiea trees but now also use introduced tobacco.

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Did You Know?

This moth has adapted to feed on introduced tobacco plants, a relative of its native host, which may have helped prevent its extinction.