Latin name: Hyles lineataSize: Two-to three-inch wingspanHabitat: Statewide Jewel-toned wings gleam in the sun as this bauble of a bug flits from flower to flower. Fast and furious wingbeats, as many as seventy per second, produce an audible hum as it hovers, sipping nectar. Unless you catch a rare glimpse of this insect at rest, you’ll probably think it’s a tiny bird, which is why folks often call it a hummingbird moth. Others refer to it as a hawk moth, but it’s officially known as the white-lined sphinx. The moth is one of the prettiest and most widespread of the more than 1,450 species belonging to the sphinx family—and one of the likeliest to appear in Texas yards.How do I distinguish it from a hummingbird?Check for…
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