Gaudy Sphinx Moth vs Western Bumble Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Gaudy Sphinx Moth Western Bumble Bee
Scientific Name Eumorpha labruscae Bombus occidentalis
Order Lepidoptera Hymenoptera
Family Sphingidae Apidae
Size 85-120 mm 10-22 mm
Habitat Orchards Mountains
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Southern United States, Central America, South America Western North America
Conservation Least Concern Vulnerable

Gaudy Sphinx Moth

A spectacular hawk moth with blue-green and brown patterned forewings that create an extraordinary leafy camouflage. It is one of the most beautifully colored sphinx moths in the world.

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Did You Know?

When resting on a vine leaf, the gaudy sphinx moth is almost impossible to spot because its wing patterns perfectly replicate the colors and veining of a fresh leaf.

Western Bumble Bee

A once-common bumble bee of western North America that has experienced dramatic population declines since the late 1990s. They nest underground in abandoned rodent burrows.

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Did You Know?

Their catastrophic decline is linked to a pathogen accidentally spread through commercial bumble bee rearing facilities.