Tersa Sphinx Moth vs Lichen Moth of New Zealand

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Tersa Sphinx Moth	Lichen Moth of New Zealand
Scientific Name	Xylophanes tersa	Declana floccosa
Order	Lepidoptera	Lepidoptera
Family	Sphingidae	Geometridae
Size	60-80 mm	35-50 mm wingspan
Habitat	Woodlands	Forests
Diet	Nectar Feeders	Herbivores
Regions	Southern United States, Central America, South America	Oceania (New Zealand)
Conservation	Least Concern	Least Concern

Tersa Sphinx Moth

A sleek hawk moth with narrow, pointed forewings in lavender-gray with darker streaks. It is a fast and agile flier found throughout the Americas.

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Did You Know?

The tersa sphinx caterpillar has a series of large eyespots along its body that create a convincing snake-mimic appearance.

Lichen Moth of New Zealand

A beautifully camouflaged moth endemic to New Zealand that resembles a patch of lichen when resting on bark. Both the wings and body are patterned with greens, greys, and whites that perfectly mimic lichen. It is found in native forests throughout the country.

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Did You Know?

This moth's lichen-like camouflage is so convincing that it even has raised scale tufts on its wings that mimic the three-dimensional texture of lichen.