Indian Tussock Moth vs White-Lined Sphinx Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Indian Tussock Moth White-Lined Sphinx Moth
Scientific Name Euproctis lunata Hyles lineata
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Erebidae Sphingidae
Size 25-35 mm wingspan 65-90 mm wingspan
Habitat Farmland Deserts & Drylands
Diet Herbivores Nectar Feeders
Regions South Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal) Throughout North America from Canada to Central America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Indian Tussock Moth

A yellow-brown moth with a distinctive dark crescent marking on the forewings. Its brightly colored, hairy caterpillars are covered in urticating hairs that cause severe skin rashes on contact.

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Did You Know?

The urticating hairs of the caterpillar can cause painful welts and dermatitis lasting several days in people who handle them.

White-Lined Sphinx Moth

A common sphinx moth with bold white stripes on its forewings and a pink-banded hindwing. It hovers at flowers like a hummingbird and is active at dusk.

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Did You Know?

During outbreak years, its caterpillars can be so numerous they cross roads in large numbers and are called armyworms.