Tres Marias Firefly vs Silver-striped Hawk Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Tres Marias Firefly Silver-striped Hawk Moth
Scientific Name Photinus knabi Hippotion celerio
Order Coleoptera Lepidoptera
Family Lampyridae Sphingidae
Size 7-10 mm 60-80 mm wingspan
Habitat Woodlands Orchards
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions North America, Mexico East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda)
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Tres Marias Firefly

A small firefly native to Mexico with a yellowish-green flash. It has a dark body with a pale-bordered pronotum and is found in tropical deciduous forests.

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Did You Know?

Many Photinus species in Mexico remain poorly studied, with their flash patterns and mating behaviors largely undocumented.

Silver-striped Hawk Moth

A medium-sized hawk moth with olive-brown forewings and bright pink hindwings, featuring silver stripes along the body. It is a powerful migrant found throughout the tropics.

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Did You Know?

Its caterpillars have prominent eyespots that make them look like small snakes to deter predators.