# White-lined Sphinx (*Hyles lineata*) The White-lined Sphinx is a colorful moth that looks like a hummingbird when it flies! It has beautiful stripes and loves to sip nectar from flowers during the day. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 54 - **Habitat:** Gardens and meadows - **Also known as:** Hummingbird Moth ![White-lined Sphinx](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Hyles_lineata_MHNT_CUT_2010_0_134_Female_North_America.jpg&width=800) Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hyles_lineata_MHNT_CUT_2010_0_134_Female_North_America.jpg) ## Appearance The White-lined Sphinx has an olive-brown body and forewings marked with a striking white stripe and prominent veins. Its hindwings are a vibrant pinkish-red, bordered in black. This distinct coloration makes it easy to identify even during its fast, hovering flight. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Lepidoptera - **Family:** Sphingidae - **Genus:** Hyles ## Interesting facts - If threatened, the caterpillar can squirt green liquid to surprise predators! - Its fuzzy body and rapid wing beats make a humming sound you can actually hear! - Massive caterpillar outbreaks can strip plants bare, marching together to find more food! - These moths can travel hundreds of miles, flying south for winter like birds! ## Special abilities - **Nectar Hoverer:** White-lined Sphinx can hover perfectly still in mid-air because of powerful wing beats, helping them drink nectar while flying. - **Deep Reach Feeder:** White-lined Sphinx has an extra-long proboscis that helps them reach sweet nectar deep inside tubular flowers. - **Speed Demon Flyer:** White-lined Sphinx can fly at incredible speeds, helping them evade predators and cover vast distances quickly. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 70-90 mm - **Size:** 25-35 mm - **Lifespan:** 7-30 days - **Flight Speed:** 30 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adults sip sweet flower nectar; caterpillars munch on plant leaves. - **Age differences:** Caterpillars eat plant leaves, but adults drink only flower nectar. - **Primary Foods:** flower nectar, purslane leaves, grape leaves, tomato plants, willow weed - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Desert Four O'Clock (*Mirabilis multiflora*) — Carries pollen between its deep, tubular flowers. - **Eaten by:** [Little Brown Bat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/little-brown-bat) (*Myotis lucifugus*) — Hunted by this bat during its nighttime flights. - **Eats:** [Common Purslane](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-purslane) (*Portulaca oleracea*) — Caterpillars feed on the leaves of this common plant. - **Eaten by:** [European Mantis](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-mantis) (*Mantis religiosa*) — A predator of both adult moths and caterpillars. ## Traits - [Striped](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/striped): Marked with parallel bands or lines of color. - [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. - [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. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. - [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 insects you find outside; just watch them from a distance! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify White-lined 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 White-lined Sphinx's wingspan? 70-90 mm ### How big is White-lined Sphinx? 25-35 mm ### How long does White-lined Sphinx live? 7-30 days ### How fast can White-lined Sphinx fly? 30 km/h ### What does White-lined Sphinx eat? Adults sip sweet flower nectar; caterpillars munch on plant leaves. ### Where is White-lined Sphinx usually found? Gardens and meadows ### How does White-lined Sphinx hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Berry Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/berry-botanic-garden) — Oregon, US · Botanical Garden - [Blake Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/blake-garden) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Chilocco Indian Agricultural School](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chilocco-indian-agricultural-school) — Oklahoma, US · Campus - [Falls Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/falls-park) — South Dakota, US · Park - [Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jasper-ridge-biological-preserve) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mono-lake-tufa-state-natural-reserve) — California, US · Nature Reserve [View all places to see White-lined Sphinx](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/white-lined-sphinx) ## 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: [White-lined Sphinx: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-lined-sphinx)