Lime Hawk-moth vs Delhi Sands Flower-loving Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Lime Hawk-moth Delhi Sands Flower-loving Fly
Scientific Name Mimas tiliae Rhaphiomidas terminatus abdominalis
Order Lepidoptera Diptera
Family Sphingidae Mydidae
Size 55-70 mm wingspan 2.5-3.5 cm
Habitat Underground Beaches & Coastal
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Europe, western Asia United States
Conservation Least Concern Endangered

Lime Hawk-moth

A beautifully scalloped hawk-moth with variable pink-green to brown colouration and dark central wing bands. Adults do not feed at all, living only on energy stored as caterpillars.

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Did You Know?

Its wing colour varies enormously, from bright salmon pink to deep olive green, even within the same brood.

Delhi Sands Flower-loving Fly

A large flower fly endemic to the Delhi Sands area of San Bernardino County, California. It was the first fly to be listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

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Did You Know?

Listing this fly in 1993 caused controversy when it delayed construction of a hospital in its habitat.