Frangipani Hawk Moth vs Small Magpie Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Frangipani Hawk Moth Small Magpie Moth
Scientific Name Pseudosphinx tetrio Anania hortulata
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Sphingidae Crambidae
Size 100-140 mm 26-30 mm wingspan
Habitat Beaches & Coastal Underground
Diet Nectar Feeders Herbivores
Regions Southern United States, Caribbean, Central America, South America Europe, Western Asia
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.

Small Magpie Moth

A pretty white moth with black spots and a yellow head. Despite its name, it is a crambid rather than a geometrid like the true Magpie Moth.

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Did You Know?

The caterpillar lives inside a rolled leaf shelter that it spins shut with silk.