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Post by trehopr1 on Nov 10, 2020 18:21:07 GMT -8
So as not to disappoint those who have a passion for beautiful moths I present 2 fine specimens of which I personally collected. Few, if any hawkmoths offer up this much pink coloration so as to dazzle those who look upon it.  |
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Post by 58chevy on Nov 11, 2020 8:43:14 GMT -8
I like that species also. You did an excellent job of spreading them. Show us more of your hawkmoths.
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Post by trehopr1 on Nov 11, 2020 10:11:50 GMT -8
For you 58chevy, I'll add a couple more favorites which I am able to collect... Another nice species to encounter when "fresh" is the quite lovely Pandora sphinx (Eumorpha pandorus). It can be at times common in the right places but, its vivid dark green coloration is captivating...  |
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Post by trehopr1 on Nov 11, 2020 10:24:34 GMT -8
Two more memorable species which I have had chance to encounter are the following... Top: Banded sphinx (Eumorpha fasciatus) Bottom: Hydrangea sphinx (Daraspa versicolor)(female) To me each of these are "stunners" in their own right. However, the banded is equally as desirable as the pink-spotted shown at the start of the thread.   I decided to get a better shots of these 2 species as I was not happy with the somewhat "angled" profile that the original photo seemed to have... Yes, I am near as fussy about the photo's I present as I am about my specimens appearance. Well, the term "near" can still contain a measure of distance when you really think about it ! Anyway, hope you enjoy the better pictures. |
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Post by Paul K on Nov 11, 2020 11:04:01 GMT -8
Trehopr1 you are lucky to collect these splendid Sphinx species around your state.
For mine to collect I had to fly to Amazon forest.
It is amazing how worldwide distribution is for some of the species.
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Post by 58chevy on Nov 11, 2020 11:56:32 GMT -8
Thanks for the pictures, Trehopr. D. versicolor is a rarity in my area. Your specimen looks very fresh. Where was it caught?
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Post by trehopr1 on Nov 11, 2020 20:33:24 GMT -8
Hey 58chevy, for me the most likely place in my state (Ill.) to get D. versicolor is in the southern tip (counties) of the state. Here I have collected it at least 10x of which only 2 were females. That area is home to the Shawnee National Forest, several wildlife refuges, and still a lot of wild spaces...
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Post by jshuey on Nov 12, 2020 9:07:56 GMT -8
So as not to disappoint those who have a passion for beautiful moths I present 2 fine specimens of which I personally collected. Few, if any hawkmoths offer up this much pink coloration so as to dazzle those who look upon it. When I was at Ohio State, there was a guy who used to collect this in Columbus on a regular basis at some secret location. Years later, I learned that he was going downtown to one of the tall office buildings that was lit from ground level with powerful spotlights. Kinda proves that things like this are flying around, and if you have the right beacon, you can pull them in. john |
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Post by trehopr1 on Nov 12, 2020 13:40:37 GMT -8
Here's another nice sphinx species which I have encountered on 4 occasions in southern Illinois; The Rustic Sphinx (Manduca rustica). This is likely a "stray" species more than anything else as my many sorted trips there have yielded no others...  |
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Post by 58chevy on Nov 12, 2020 16:29:02 GMT -8
M. rustica is fairly common in my neck of the woods, but your specimen is lighter brown than most of the ones I've captured. The brown area on your moth is either black or very dark brown on most of mine. As far as I can tell, the lighter form is either much less common or is a regional variation. Maybe someone else can clarify this.
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