White-lined Sphinx Moth

Description:

A mating pair of White-line Sphinx Moths. Body length, about 40mm. Wingspan while swept back, about 35 mm. Forewings, brown with a broad, cream-colored line running across the middle, from base to tip. Anterior edge of the wing is light brown, posterior edge is gray. Veins crossing from the anterior to the posterior edge are white and distinct. Hindwing(not visible) shows pink. Thorax is greenish brown with prominent white lines across the length. Abdomen is light brown with a broken white, bordered with black spots, line across its length.

Habitat:

Urban garden.

Notes:

While bundling a pile of fallen branches, this pair fell out. They laid motionless in the grass while I took pictures, even allowing me to reposition them. After a half an hour or so I scooped them up and place them in an out of the way, sheltered area. I checked them some time later and the larger of the two had departed.