Hey, Des!

[earthmother45]

I was working in the studio on the guitar mosaic and Pete was out back working in the yard. Pete yells, "Hey, Kath, get your camera, I know you're going to want to get a picture of this!" I dropped what I was doing and grabbed my camera and went out back

Comments

[thagirion]

Oh yes!! How lovely!! So cute. It's a Banded Sphinx. Yes I recognize it right away. I didn't think they'd be out so early in the year. I thought they came out in July. Now I must get more nectar plants. My Four O'Clocks they love are only just now coming out of the ground and won't flower until then. They have very pretty pink on the hind wings. Too bad he didn't open up to show you. I'm so glad it made you think of me. I do miss having these moths around. He's so clean and unscared that I think he must have just emerged from his cocoon.

[earthmother45]

I was sure you'd know what this was. If they like nectar plants, then they probably will like the fuschia.

That's exciting to know he just emerged from his cocoon. He stayed there for many hours after we saw him. When we went in for the day, he was still there. I wish I could have seen the pink on the wings. Maybe another day.

[thagirion]

Happy to help. Here is a picture of one with its wings open.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1212/1405310194_6164e36382.jpg?v=0

They don't fly much during the day and at night he would have had to flap alot to build up heat in his muscles before flying away. I saw the one fuschia flower on the ground. The caterpillar host plant are members of the primerose.

[earthmother45]

Oh, my gosh! That pink is gorgeous. Do you think mine didn't have pink because he was just born? Will he get pink later?

[nancytoday]

Beautiful moth. I forget what it's called, too.

[kabuldur]

Those Hawk Moths certainly are beautiful! Not to mention big :)