Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Buzzing Sphinx Moth Caterpillar: sketch from my gradeschool nature notebook

buzzing sphinx moth

Abbot's Sphinx moth larva on Grape vine. Sphecodina abbotti. 7cm long .8cm wide, 4 prolegs and one at end. 11 segments each having 2 green spots on each side. [then something i can't read] rest is brown. eye shape thing instead of horn at tail. real eyes are colored dull green and brown. eats grape leaves. shits grubby looking pellets.

Very quick acting and vicious when bothered a lot. will curl up like a cobra except its head held underneath and the tail with eye/horn waving up. buzzes nicely when mad.

I definitely remember many sphinx moths from my youth, the feel of their musculature, and the way their skin felt. But alas, i don't recall this buzzing one. Wonder if I can find one again...

1 comment:

barry goldman said...

hmmm... i can't find any corroboration on the fact that the caterpillar buzzes!

abot sphinx moth page

but the adults aparently do, maybe i was recording what i read in a book?

curious.