Template:POTD/2023-10-07

Picture of the day

Agrius cingulata, commonly known as 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. It has a wide range throughout the Americas, with adults migrating north to Canada and south to Patagonia and the Falkland Islands. It can also be found in the Galápagos Islands and Hawaii, and has been found in western Europe and West Africa. A nocturnal insect, A. cingulata feeds on the nectar from deep-throated flowers including moonflower, morning glories and petunia. Its larva is a large, stout caterpillar with a horn, which feeds during the day and the night on sweet potato, Datura, and other plants. This male A. cingulata moth was photographed in the Mount Totumas cloud forest in Panama.Photograph credit: Charles J. Sharp