Eye Gnat vs Blackburn's Sphinx Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Eye Gnat	Blackburn's Sphinx Moth
Scientific Name	Liohippelates pusio	Manduca blackburni
Order	Diptera	Lepidoptera
Family	Chloropidae	Sphingidae
Size	1.5-2.5 mm	100-120 mm wingspan
Habitat	Farmland	Heathland
Diet	Nectar Feeders	Nectar Feeders
Regions	Southern United States, Central America, Caribbean	Oceania (Hawaii)
Conservation	Least Concern	Endangered

Eye Gnat

A tiny, shiny black fly attracted to eye and wound secretions of humans and animals. It is a suspected mechanical vector of bacterial conjunctivitis and yaws in tropical regions. Its persistent swarming around the face makes it an extremely annoying pest in agricultural areas.

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Did You Know?

These flies are so strongly attracted to eye secretions that they will persistently return to a person's face even after being brushed away dozens of times.

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.