Two photos of a moth whose remains were discovered on our front lawn
yesterday are here:

http://membres.lycos.fr/dbky/Apteryx

See images Moth1 and Moth2.

(Caution:  If you are sensitive to the sight of a deceased insect,
please do not view these images.)

Can you identify this critter?  We've never seen one like it around
here before (northern California) and thought it was quite beautiful.

We are also interested to know if the diet of its larval form should
cause us any concern.

Thank you,
Apteryx

Hi apteryx,

The moth you have found appears to be a white-lined sphinx moth, found
throughout North American desert regions:

"Sphinx Moths (DesertUSA)"
http://www.desertusa.com/mag99/jan/papr/sphinx.html

According to the detailed information on the above page, they are
found on many desert plants, especially after rain. They feed
exclusively on the nectar of flowers such as Evening Primrose, in
particular the Dune Evening Primrose.

If you need any further information, or have any doubt that this is
the correct identification, please request clarification.


Additional Links:

"White Lined Sphinx Moth on Log"
http://www.richard-seaman.com/Wallpaper/Nature/Moths/WhiteLinedSphinxMothOnLog.jpg
(a desktop wallpaper image of this moth)

"White Lined Sphinx Moth"
http://www.heinphoto.com/insects/INBU-10112.htm
(This one was found in Mendocino County California.)

"Portland Bird Observatory"
http://www.portlandbirdobs.btinternet.co.uk/wildlife_diary_6_2003.htm
(Above the entry for 24th June is a photo of a Striped Hawk Moth, a
very similar migratory moth found in Europe.)

"The white lined sphinx moth and larva"
http://www.laspilitas.com/butterflies/Butterflies_and_Moths/white-lined_sphinx/white_lined_sphinx.html
(Shows food sources of the larva and adult moth, and good pictures of larvae.)


Google Images Search Strategy:

moth striped
http://images.google.com/images?q=moth+striped

"white lined sphinx moth" california
http://images.google.com/images?q=%22white+lined+sphinx+moth%22+california


Google Search Strategy:

"striped hawk moth" california
://www.google.com/search?q=%22striped%20hawk%20moth%22%20california

"sphinx moth" california
://www.google.com/search?q=%22sphinx+moth%22+california


Regards,
eiffel-ga

Excellent, eiffel!  A positive ID, without a doubt.  Thank you very much.

Apteryx

Hmmmmm .... I'm not convinced that it's really dead. 

More likely, it's just playing possum until you are all asleep ...

You seem to have all the luck.

Great photos, too! (Your son's work presumably?)

Hi, Bryan--

Alas, it never did wake up (at least not whle we were looking).

The photo is a good scientific just-the-facts pic taken by my husband
with his digital camera.  Thank you for remembering my son's photos. 
Here's another example of his work, taken with a significantly
higher-powered digital camera and a true artist's eye.  See
'GualalaGeometry' at the same index.

Me, I'm a point-and-shoot person, and I still like film because
there's something that you can hold in your hand--and that will
survive a hard disk crash.

Apteryx

Thanks, apteryx, for the kind comments and tip.

eiffel-ga