Insect · GBIF taxon 1862198
Tersa Sphinx
Xylophanes tersaAlso known as Tersa Sphinx Moth
With streamlined brown wings trimmed in crisp diagonal stripes, the Tersa Sphinx resembles a miniature jet suspended over evening blooms. Adult moths hover rapidly in front of flowers to sip nectar with a long proboscis during dusk and night hours. Caterpillars display striking eye spots along their sides to intimidate potential predators in garden borders.
NocturnalMothFast-flying
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Flower nectar
Predators
- Bats
- Insectivorous birds
- Spiders
ThreatsArtificial light pollution, widespread pesticide application
HabitatsGardens, open fields, meadows, forest edges, suburban yards
Life span1–2 months (total life cycle); 1–3 weeks (adult)
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderLepidoptera
- FamilySphingidae
- GenusXylophanes
- SpeciesXylophanes tersa
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Attracting Adults: Plant nectar-rich evening blooms like pentas, petunias, and honeysuckle.
- Light Observation: Check near outdoor porch lights shortly after dusk for resting moths.
- Handling Larvae: Gently move caterpillars with a leaf if relocating them away from pathways.
Co-Occurring Hawkmoth (c) Michelle W. （鍾偉瑋）, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Michelle W. （鍾偉瑋） · cc-by
Host Plant (c) Jaro Guzinski, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Andrew Meeds, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Family Relative "Tobacco Hornworm Caterpillar" by cbede is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
Family Relative (c) David George, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by David George · cc-by
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Species set
Moonlight Marvels
Tersa Sphinx is found in this collection. Identify it in Fauna to fill this slot and continue your progress.
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