Frangipani Hawk Moth vs Coppery Sweat Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Frangipani Hawk Moth Coppery Sweat Bee
Scientific Name Pseudosphinx tetrio Augochloropsis sumptuosa
Order Lepidoptera Hymenoptera
Family Sphingidae Halictidae
Size 100-140 mm 8-11 mm
Habitat Beaches & Coastal Farmland
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Southern United States, Caribbean, Central America, South America South America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Frangipani Hawk Moth

A large gray hawk moth whose larvae are among the most spectacular caterpillars in the world, with bold black and yellow banding and a bright red head. It is common throughout the tropics.

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Did You Know?

The frangipani caterpillar's vivid warning coloration and ability to sequester toxic alkaloids from its host plant make it one of the most conspicuous and well-defended caterpillars in the Americas.

Coppery Sweat Bee

A stout metallic bee with brilliant coppery-green iridescence found across South America. It is a solitary ground-nesting species that visits a broad range of flowers.

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Did You Know?

Its coppery metallic coloring shifts between green, gold, and red depending on the angle of light striking its exoskeleton.