SPHINX MOTHS GROUP #5: CAROLINA sphinx and Pink-spotted Hawkmoth
This is a Pink-spotted Hawkmoth. When I first saw one of these large moths at my moth sheet, I assumed that it was a Carolina Sphinx ... until the moth opened its wings and I saw that the spots were pink, not yellow!
Carolina Sphinx moths are very large insects. Their caterpillars feed on tomato plants, among other host plants. Many gardeners are disconcerted to find the large green caterpillars chomping on their tomato vines.
Pink-spotted Hawkmoths are uncommon strays to Ohio. These southern migrants are seldom seen in our state in most years. I found several individuals at my lights in July, September, and October 2025, but 2025 was the first year I have seen this species.
Carolina Sphinx moth. These moths have six pairs of yellow spots on their abdomens. (Sometimes the sixth pair is small and hard to see.) A similar species, the Five-Spotted Hawkmoth, usually has five pairs of yellow spots instead of six.
Pink-spotted Hawkmoths have gigantic eyes, presumably to help them see better at night. They are very active at night, flying around and nectaring on flowers.
Here is a close-up of the six pairs of yellow spots on a Carolina Sphinx. These moths fly from June through September.
