Nessus sphinx

Amphion floridensis

''Amphion floridensis'', the Nessus sphinx, is a day-flying moth of the family Sphingidae. The species was named by Benjamin Preston Clark in 1920. It is the only member of the genus ''Amphion'' erected by Jacob Hübner in 1819. It lives throughout the eastern United States and Canada and occasionally south into Mexico, and is one of the more commonly encountered day-flying moths in the region, easily recognized by the two bright-yellow bands across the abdomen.
Nessus Sphinx (Amphion floridensis) Nectaring on what I'm assuming was stray dog feces. At a mixed forest edge. It was a struggle to photograph this moth as it was moving so quickly. The wingbeats were so fast that the air was vibrating! https://www.jungledragon.com/image/112178/nessus_sphinx_amphion_floridensis.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/112177/nessus_sphinx_amphion_floridensis.html Amphion floridensis,Geotagged,Nessus sphinx,Spring,United States

Appearance

The wingspan is 37–55 mm.
Nessus Sphinx (Amphion floridensis) Nectaring on what I'm assuming was stray dog feces. At a mixed forest edge. It was a struggle to photograph this moth as it was moving so quickly. The wingbeats were so fast that the air was vibrating! https://www.jungledragon.com/image/112177/nessus_sphinx_amphion_floridensis.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/112176/nessus_sphinx_amphion_floridensis.html Amphion floridensis,Geotagged,Nessus sphinx,Spring,United States

Behavior

Adults are on wing from April to July in one generation in the north and in two generations in the south. The adults feed on the nectar of various flowers, including ''Syringa vulgaris'', ''Geranium robertianum'', ''Kolkwitzia amabilis'', ''Philadelphus coronarius'', and ''Phlox'' species.

The larvae feed on ''Vitis'', ''Ampelopsis'', and ''Capsicum'' species.

References:

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Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionArthropoda
ClassInsecta
OrderLepidoptera
FamilySphingidae
GenusAmphion
SpeciesA. floridensis
Photographed in
United States of America