Sphinx Moth

After talking to a few people, it's apparently been an especially prolific year for the Sphinx Moth. They're also known as the Hummingbird Moth because of their similar size and mannerisms, and usually come out at dusk and feed on the bright flowers around our patio. This one was flitting around the flowers beds at work right outside my window!

Clearwing Sphinx Hummingbird Moth

This little guy was visiting a floral booth during our recent trip to the Waukesha Farmer's Market. At first, someone said, "Oh, no - a wasp!"  Then someone else chimed in, "No, it's a hummingbird!"  But upon further inspection, we realized it was a Clearwing Sphinx Moth, also known as a hummingbird moth. My camera could not quite capture the wings because of their constant high-speed motion, but you can see its long beak-like tongue as it drinks flower nectar (below).  It also has a cousin in these parts called White-Lined Sphinx (or Hawk) Moth.