Forum:

bugs

What is this?

Posts: 34

Location: Carbondale, IL

posted 2 years ago

5
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

A small moth that looks like a miniature dragon was on my porch yesterday outside Carbondale. Is it a menace or not? Sorta cute for what looks like a strange moth.

8393A245-1AD4-498E-B087-6751900562D8.jpeg

"We are all woodland people. A forest is more than timber, it is our salvation." Diana Beresford-Kroeger

greg mosser

gardener

Posts: 1831

Location: the mountains of katuah, southern appalachia

603

I like...

posted 2 years ago

1
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

the wing shape makes me think it’s a hawk moth of some sort, but definitely not sure! the hawk moth caterpillars are hornworms, some of which are garden etc pests, but there are many kinds that only feed on wild plants. if that’s a hawk moth,i have doubts that it’s one of the few that are pests of things you’re potentially growing. i vote not a menace.

Douglas Alpenstock

pollinator

Posts: 5530

Location: Canadian Prairies - Zone 3b

1527

posted 2 years ago

Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Not my locale, so I cannot comment on menace or not.

But that is one seriously cool bug! Thanks for the pic.

Matt McSpadden

gardener

Posts: 3090

Location: Central Maine (Zone 5a)

1629

I like...

posted 2 years ago

1
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

To me it appears that we are looking at the rear of the moth with its tail up and head down. I don't see any antenna on the end sticking up :)

I agree with Greg that the coloring looks like some sort of hawk/sphinx moth. If that is the case and if you are growing any tomatoes or peppers or similar, you might run into some hornworms. They are not the worst thing in the world, but they can eat a lot of the vegetation off the plant.

"When the whole world is running towards a cliff, he who is running in the opposite direction appears to have lost his mind." C.S. Lewis
Visit https://themaineingredient.com for organic, premium dried culinary herbs that are grown, processed, and packaged in the USA.

greg mosser

gardener

Posts: 1831

Location: the mountains of katuah, southern appalachia

603

I like...

posted 2 years ago

3
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

agreed, head down, booty up. tomato hornworm hawkmoths are a lot bigger, so i wouldn’t worry about them.

Anne Miller

steward

Posts: 18313

Location: USDA Zone 8a

4646

I like...

posted 2 years ago

4
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

I like to ask Mr. Google silly questions so I asked "moth that looks like a dragon" and the answer was:

Dragon moth (Apatelodes torrefacta)

source

Thanks for sharing as that was fun learning about different moths.

Invasive plants are Earth's way of insisting we notice her medicines. Stephen Herrod Buhner
Everyone learns what works by learning what doesn't work. Stephen Herrod Buhner

Yvonne Scott

Posts: 34

Location: Carbondale, IL

posted 2 years ago

Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

I’m very happy to learn this little guy IS a dragon—moth. He/she was quite small, barely two inches across wingspread. Thanks Ann for his scientific name. Now to do some more research. Thanks everyone!

"We are all woodland people. A forest is more than timber, it is our salvation." Diana Beresford-Kroeger

Matt McSpadden

gardener

Posts: 3090

Location: Central Maine (Zone 5a)

1629

I like...

posted 2 years ago

Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Seeing pictures, it looks more like the Dragon Moth. This quote is taken from whatsthatbug.com

Spotted Apatelodes isn’t quite as descriptive as Dragon Moth. Though it resembles a Sphinx Moth, the Spotted Apatelodes, Apatelodes torrefacta, is actually one of the Silkworm Moths in the family Bombycidae.

Maybe you have a money making opportunity with silk? :)

I agree. Here's the link: http://stoves2.com