# Mournful Sphinx (*Enyo lugubris*) The Mournful Sphinx is a special moth with big, beautiful wings. It is known for its dark colors and unique shape, making it look a bit like a tiny dragon when it flies! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Gardens and woodlands ![Mournful Sphinx](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/%28Toulouse%29_Enyo_lugubris_MHNT_CUT_2010_0_528_-_La_Mucuy%252C_Venezuela%252C_female.jpg&width=800) Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%28Toulouse%29_Enyo_lugubris_MHNT_CUT_2010_0_528_-_La_Mucuy%252C_Venezuela%252C_female.jpg) ## Appearance The Mournful Sphinx has a stout, dark brown body and mottled grey-brown forewings, often with a dark central band. Its hindwings are dark brown, sometimes with a paler area near the base. The drab coloration helps it blend seamlessly into its environment. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Lepidoptera - **Family:** Sphingidae - **Genus:** Enyo ## Interesting facts - Adult Mournful Sphinx moths have incredibly high metabolism, needing constant energy from nectar. - Its caterpillar changes color before it pupates, often turning reddish-brown! - Sometimes it's mistaken for a small bat because of its size and nighttime flight. - This moth's proboscis, its "tongue," can be longer than its entire body! ## Special abilities - **Nectar Hoverer:** Mournful Sphinx can hover precisely like a hummingbird while drinking nectar because of its rapid, agile wing beats. - **Leafy Disguise:** Its caterpillar has various color forms, including green or brown, that help them blend perfectly into their host plant leaves. - **Silent Speedster:** Mournful Sphinx has powerful, fast-beating wings that allow for swift, silent flight and quick directional changes, evading predators. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 50-70 mm - **Size:** 25-35 mm - **Lifespan:** 10-30 days - **Flight Speed:** 25 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding As caterpillars, they munch on specific plants, but adult moths sip flower nectar. - **Age differences:** Caterpillars eat plant leaves; adults drink flower nectar. - **Primary Foods:** Grapevine leaves, Peppervine leaves, Honeysuckle nectar, Petunia nectar - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Muscadine Grape (*Vitis rotundifolia*) — Caterpillars feed on its leaves. - **Eats:** [Peppervine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/peppervine) (*Ampelopsis arborea*) — Larvae use its leaves as a food source. - **Pollinates:** [Coral Honeysuckle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coral-honeysuckle) (*Lonicera sempervirens*) — Adults drink nectar, transferring pollen. - **Eaten by:** [Little Brown Bat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/little-brown-bat) (*Myotis lucifugus*) — Nocturnal bats hunt adult moths. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Don't touch moths or caterpillars you find outside; they are best admired from a distance! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Mournful Sphinx? Compare resting wing shape, forewing markings, antennae and body build. Small brown moths can hinge on fine details a phone photo can't always catch. Moth Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Mournful Sphinx's wingspan? 50-70 mm ### How big is Mournful Sphinx? 25-35 mm ### How long does Mournful Sphinx live? 10-30 days ### How fast can Mournful Sphinx fly? 25 km/h ### What does Mournful Sphinx eat? As caterpillars, they munch on specific plants, but adult moths sip flower nectar. ### Where is Mournful Sphinx usually found? Gardens and woodlands ### How does Mournful Sphinx hunt? Foraging ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Mournful Sphinx: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mournful-sphinx)