Ear Moth vs Coffee Bee Hawk Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Ear Moth Coffee Bee Hawk Moth
Scientific Name Amphipoea oculea Cephonodes picus
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Noctuidae Sphingidae
Size 24-32 mm wingspan 35-50 mm
Habitat Wetlands Farmland
Diet Herbivores Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe East Africa, Madagascar
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Ear Moth

A small brown moth whose larvae bore inside grass and rush stems. Very variable in appearance. Part of a species complex requiring dissection for certain identification.

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Did You Know?

Named for its ear-shaped wing stigma, though the marking is so variable it's often hard to see.

Coffee Bee Hawk Moth

A smaller clearwing hawk moth with transparent wings and a compact olive and yellow body. It is often found around coffee plantations in Africa where its larvae feed on Rubiaceae.

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Did You Know?

This species is sometimes considered a minor pest of coffee plantations in East Africa, where its caterpillars can defoliate young coffee plants.