Agrius cingulata
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Agrius cingulata, the pink-spotted hawkmoth or sweetpotato hornworm, is a moth in the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775. The imago has a wingspan of 3+3⁄4 to 4+3⁄4 inches (9.5–12 cm). Its robust body is gray brown with pink bands. The abdomen tapers to a point. The hindwings are gray with black bands and pink at the bases.
The imago is nocturnal. It feeds on the nectar from deep-throated flowers including moonflower (Calonyction aculeatum), morning glories (Convolvulus species), and petunias (Petunia species). The larva is a large, stout caterpillar with a horn. It feeds during the day and the night on sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), Datura species, and other plants. It is known as a pest of sweet potato.
This is mainly a neotropical species, and the adults migrate north to Canada and south to Patagonia and the Falkland Islands. It can also be found in the Galápagos Islands and Hawaii. It has been reported from western Europe, including Portugal and the United Kingdom. It has recently become established in West Africa and Cape Verde, possibly having originated in Brazil. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Machalilla National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 2 | Galápagos Islands | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 3 | Bahía de Loreto National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 4 | Padre Island National Seashore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | La Amistad International Park (Panama) | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 6 | Parque Natural Metropolitano | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 7 | Cumbres de Monterrey National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quito | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 2 | Goiânia | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 3 | Mexico City | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 4 | Toluca | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 5 | Guayaquil | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 6 | Guatemala City | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | |
| 7 | Puebla | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 8 | Brasilia | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 9 | San Luis Potosí | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 10 | Maceió | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Pink-Spotted Hawkmoth sighting in Baltimore on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 546th most-seen of the 705 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September and October
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Pink-Spotted Hawkmoth in Baltimore on a given day, against under 5% in November to August, the lowest months.
Between 6 and 9 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Pink-Spotted Hawkmoth sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
25th of 30
Of the 30 cities where we can rate Pink-Spotted Hawkmoth sightings, Baltimore ranks 25th at under 5%. The best odds are in Quito (Ecuador, about 20%), Goiânia (Brazil, about 10%) and Mexico City (México, about 10%).
Same family: Sphingidae
The closest relatives of the Pink-Spotted Hawkmoth that you can see in Baltimore (family Sphingidae, Sphinx Moths) are Catalpa Sphinx (about 10%), Snowberry Clearwing (about 10%) and Pandorus Sphinx (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Pink-Spotted Hawkmoth is recorded against all the insects logged in Baltimore (6 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
