white-lined sphinx

(Hyles lineata)

Hodges #

7894

Conservation Status
IUCN Red List

not listed

NatureServe

N5 - Secure

SNR - Unranked

Minnesota

not listed

 
white-lined sphinx
Photo by Tom Baker
 
Description

White-lined sphinx is a common, large to very large, sphinx moth. In poor light or at a distance it is easily mistaken for a hummingbird, due to similarities in both appearance and behavior. It has a wingspan of 2 7 16 to 3 9 16.

The forewing is long and narrow with a smooth, slightly convex outer margin. The upperside is dark olive brown. A narrow tan band extends diagonally from the inner margin near the base to the wing tip. There are creamy white streaks along the veins; a pale spot in the basal area; and a small, irregular, white patch in the median area. The trailing edge (terminal area) has a broad, pale, gray or grayish-brown band, a narrow, dark, marginal border, and a short white fringe. The leading (costal) margin has a broad, pale brown border.

The hindwing is black with a white fringe; a narrow, light brown, marginal border; and a central, broad, pink band extending diagonally from the inner margin near the body to the outer margin near the apex.

The appendage (tegula) covering the forewing base is dark olive brown with a prominent white fringe, a thin black, marginal border, and a white stripe in the middle.

The thorax is dark olive brown with three white stripes, one middorsal and two subdorsal, extending forward from the base of the tegula.

The abdomen is black-and-white banded on the upper (dorsal) surface. A thin, white, middorsal stripe is bordered by two narrow black stripes and two broad pale brown stripes.

The head is dark olive brown with two subdorsal stripes that extend over the eyes to the mouth.

The antenna is thickened and club-like. The proboscis is long and is coiled under the head when not in use.

The caterpillar is up to 2¾ long. It may be either bright green or yellow and black. The head, prothoracic shield and anal plate are always the same color, either orange or green, and are dotted with minute pale spots. The markings on the thorax and abdomen are extremely variable. Many forms have a subdorsal stripe extending from the first thoracic segment to the eighth abdominal segment. On some forms this stripe is replaced by a row of black-rimmed, creamy yellow spots. Some forms have small to extensive black areas speckled with tiny, yellow or white, vertically aligned dots. A stout yellow to orange, often partially or completely blackened, horn extends from the middorsal surface of the eighth abdominal segment. The legs on the thorax and leg-like structures (prolegs) on the abdomen are usually orange.

Mature caterpillars can be found from July onward.

 

Size

Wingspan: 2 7 16 to 3 9 16

 

Similar Species

 
Habitat

Meadows, gardens, woodland openings, and other open areas.

Biology

Season

Two broods: May to October

 

Behavior

This moth is often spotted hovering with rapidly-beating wings near a flower. While they usually fly from dusk to dawn, they also sometimes fly during the day.

 

Life Cycle

Females attract males by releasing pheromones. Caterpillars moult five times before pupating. They pupate for 2 to 3 weeks in shallow burrows in the ground. The second brood overwinters as pupae.

 

Larval Hosts

Willow herb (Epilobium spp.), four o’clock (Mirabilis spp.), apple (Malus spp.), evening primrose (Oenothera spp.), elm (Ulmus spp.), grape (Vitis spp.), and common purslane (Portulaca oleracea).

 

Adult Food

Flower nectar of many species, especially those with tubular flowers, including ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea).

Distribution

Distribution Map

 

Sources

7, 21, 24, 27, 29, 30, 71, 75, 82, 83.

Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (accessed through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Portal, bellatlas.umn.edu, 6/26/2025).

6/26/2025    
     

Occurrence

Common

Taxonomy

Order

Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)

Superfamily

Bombycoidea (hawk, sphinx, silk, emperor, and allied moths)

Family

Sphingidae (sphinx moths)

Subfamily

Macroglossinae

Tribe

Macroglossini

Subtribe

Choerocampina

Genus

Hyles

   

Subordinate Taxa

 

   

Synonyms

Celerio lineata

Deilephila lineata

Hyles daucus

Hyles florilega

Hyles linearis

Hyles lineatoides

Hyles vitis

   

Common Names

white lined sphinx

white-lined hawk moth

white-lined sphinx

white-lined sphinx moth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Anal plate

In snakes: the large scale in front of and covering the anus. In turtles: one of the posterior plates of the lower shell (plastron). In Lepidoptera: the often hardened shield on the dorsal surface of the last (10th) segment of the abdomen.

 

Costal margin

The leading edge of the forewing of insects.

 

Proleg

A fleshy structure on the abdomen of some insect larvae that functions as a leg, but lacks the five segments of a true insect leg.

 

Prothoracic shield

The hardened plate on the dorsal surface of the first segment of the thorax.

 

Tegula

A small, hardened plate or flap-like structure that overlaps the base of the forewing of insects in the orders Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera, and Homoptera.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visitor Photos
 

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SMG715

white-lined sphinx   white-lined sphinx

Christy Moe Marek

white-lined sphinx

Found this friend in our garage Sunday, 4/30/23 (Lakeville, MN). White-lined Sphinx Moth.

Mikayla

white-lined sphinx

Poor guy flew inside of our house and got stuck in our window.

Nate

white-lined sphinx   white-lined sphinx

AHesse

white-lined sphinx

Robert Ewert

white-lined sphinx

on our porch after a rainstorm 10:00pm

Lindsay Hedberg

white-lined sphinx

I love my wildflower garden visitors!

Molly and Robert Power

white-lined sphinx

Our kids found this caterpillar outside our front door!

Bill Augello

white-lined sphinx   white-lined sphinx
     
white-lined sphinx    

Chad & Autumn Brekke

white-lined sphinx

We took this photo last night… He was in our garage.

What a beautiful guy he was!

Valerie Salley

white-lined sphinx   white-lined sphinx

Plannine

white-lined sphinx   white-lined sphinx

Leigh49

white-lined sphinx

On my truck, after a rain!

Scott Cole

white-lined sphinx   white-lined sphinx
...a moth feeding on a Bee Balm in our yard  

 

Angie F

white-lined sphinx   white-lined sphinx

LWel

white-lined sphinx   white-lined sphinx
Feasting between 9 & 10pm.  

 

Ken Greshowak

white-lined sphinx

Nicole Vasquez

white-lined sphinx

Tom Baker

white-lined sphinx
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
white-lined sphinx   white-lined sphinx
     
white-lined sphinx   white-lined sphinx
     
white-lined sphinx    

 

Camera

Slideshows

Hyles lineata (White-lined Sphinx)
Allen Chartier

Hyles lineata (White-lined Sphinx)

Hyles lineata
Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren

Hyles lineata

 

slideshow

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Ann Fink

white-lined sphinx 04
Sep 9, 2022

About

white-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata)
Duluth, MN
9/7/2022
Video by Ann Fink
http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Insects/white-lined_sphinx.html

Lindsay Hedberg

white-lined sphinx 03
Jun 26, 2022

About

white-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata)

6/25/2022

Jordan, MN Scott County

I love my wildflower garden visitors!

Video by Lindsay Hedberg

http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Insects/white-lined_sphinx.html

Scott Cole

white-lined sphinx 02
8/14/2018

About

white-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata)

Video by Scott Cole

Mankato, MN

This is the first year we have had these moths. They love the Bee Balm!

Todd

white-lined sphinx 01
8/13/2018

About

most of this video is in slow Mo mode.

Other Videos

White-lined Sphinx Moth
monarchwatch

About

Uploaded on Sep 20, 2011

A White-lined Sphinx Moth (Hyles lineata) nectaring on Star Flower (Pentas lanceolata) in Monarch Waystation #1 (Monarch Watch HQ in Lawrence, KS).

White Lined Sphinx Moth - Hyles Lineata in Wisconsin
Onaspark

About

Published on Sep 14, 2012

I first thought this moth was a hummingbird when it was flying around me. It was very interested in my blooming hostas. It flew continuously and was silent.

Music:
http://BeatsRoyaltyFree.com
Artist: Al Sergio
Title: One Summer Day Before Fall

The following is from wikipedia:
The fore wing is dark brown with a tan stripe which extends from the base to the apex. There are also white lines that cover the veins. The black hind wing has a broad pink median band. It has a wingspan of 2 to 3 inches.
The moth's range is throughout the United States and extends north into southern Canada and south into Mexico. It can also be found occasionally in the West Indies.
The adult of this species is a key pollinator of the rare lemon lily (Lilium parryi) in California.

aka:
Sphinx lineata Fabricius, 1775
Celerio lineata
Deilephila lineata
Sphinx daucus Cramer, [1777]
Sphinx lineata americana Laporte, 1830
Celerio lineata florilega Kernbach, 1962
Celerio lineata lineatoides Gehlen, 1934

White-lined Sphinx Moth (Sphingidae: Hyles lineata) Lateral Close-up
Carl Barrentine

About

Published on Jun 3, 2012

Photographed at Grand Forks, North Dakota (03 June 2012).

Ep. 359 White- lined Sphinx Moth Hummingbird Loving My Super Petunia's
Diane Mumm Garden Videos

About

Published on Jan 8, 2014

White- lined Sphinx Moth Hummingbird-The White-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata) is a moth of the Sphingidae family.

The White-lined sphinx may be encountered from April to October. This moth's rapid wing movement resembles a hummingbird in flight when it hovers over flowers while it feeds.

The fore wing is dark brown with a tan stripe which extends from the base to the apex. There are also white lines that cover the veins. The black hind wing has a broad pink median band. It has a wingspan of 2 to 3 inches. The moth is sometimes referred to as a Hummingbird Moth because of its similarity to the Hummingbird in appearance and flight characteristics.

The moth's range is throughout the United States and extends north into southern and mid western Canada and south into Mexico. It can also be found occasionally in the West Indies

The larva is yellow and black or sometimes lime green and black. Many individuals have a subdorsal stripe. The head, prothoracic shield, and the anal plate are one color either green or orange with small black dots. The horn varies from either yellow or orange and sometimes has a black tip.Larvae burrow into soil to go into cocoons, where they remain for 2--3 weeks before they emerge as adults.

White-lined Sphinx Moth (Sphingidae: Hyles lineata) Dorsal Close-up
Carl Barrentine

About

Published on Jun 3, 2012

Photographed at Grand Forks, North Dakota (03 June 2012).

 

Camcorder

Visitor Sightings
 

Report a sighting of this insect.

 

This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Be sure to include a location.

T Wiese
9/16/2023

Location: La Crescent Mn

first ever sighting

SMG715
7/16/2023

Location: Algonquin, IL

white-lined sphinx

Christy Moe Marek
5/1/2023

Location: Lakeville, MN

Found this friend in our garage Sunday, 4/30/23 (Lakeville, MN). White-lined Sphinx Moth.

white-lined sphinx

Mikayla
4/17/2023

Location: Las Vegas, NV

Poor guy flew inside of our house and got stuck in our window.

white-lined sphinx

Nate
9/20/2022

Location: Bigfork, MN

white-lined sphinx

Ann Fink
9/7/2022

Location: Duluth, MN

 

AHesse
8/4/2022

Location: near Princeton, MN

white-lined sphinx

Robert Ewert
7/26/2022

Location: Parkers Prairie MN

on our porch after a rainstorm 10:00pm

white-lined sphinx

Lindsay Hedberg
6/25/2022

Location: Jordan, MN Scott County

I love my wildflower garden visitors!

white-lined sphinx

Molly and Robert Power
6/21/2022

Location: Albany, MN

Our kids found this caterpillar outside our front door!

white-lined sphinx

Bill Augello
6/16/2022

Location: St. Micheal, MN

white-lined sphinx

Chad & Autumn Brekke
8/27/2021

Location: Kilkenny, Minnesota

We took this photo last night… He was in our garage.

What a beautiful guy he was!

white-lined sphinx
Valerie Salley
9/16/2020

Location: Burnsville, Dakota Co.

white-lined sphinx
Caitlin
9/11/2020

Location: Norwood Young America

Found a caterpillar on the ground during this cold spell. Brought inside for the night.

Plannine
7/16/2020

Location: Sherburne County

white-lined sphinx
Leigh49
7/1/2019

Location: Alexandria, MN

On my truck, after a rain!

white-lined sphinx
Candace
6/22/2019

Location: Milaca, MN

Loved my purple annuals in my garden!

 
Scott Cole
8/11/2018

Location: Mankato, MN

...a moth feeding on a Bee Balm in our yard

white-lined sphinx

Todd
8/8/2018

Location: Cottage Grove MN

 
Angie F
8/6/2018

Location: Woodbury MN

white-lined sphinx
LWel
8/1/2018

Location: St. Paul

Feasting between 9 & 10pm.

white-lined sphinx
Ken Greshowak
7/12/2018

Location: St. Louis County

white-lined sphinx
Nicole Vasquez
9/20/2017

Location: Silver Bay, MN

white-lined sphinx
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Created: 12/7/2010

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