Bedstraw Hawkmoth

Hyles gallii

They can fly at speeds up to 12 miles per hour and are excellent long-distance migrators.

Scientific name: Hyles gallii
Taxonomy: Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Lepidoptera › Sphingidae › Hyles
IUCN Red List status: Least Concern
Population trend: stable
Biome: grassland
Habitat: Sunny meadows, forest glades, sand dunes, and gardens.
Diet: Adults drink nectar from deep flowers like phlox and honeysuckle; caterpillars eat bedstraw and willowherb.
Range: North America, Europe, Central Asia, Japan
Size: Wingspan of 5.5 to 8 cm
Lifespan: 10 to 30 days as an adult (up to 1 year including overwintering pupal stage)
Active: crepuscular
Threats: Pesticide run-off, habitat fragmentation, and artificial light pollution.
Safe to approach?: Harmless. This moth has no stinger or fangs and cannot bite. You can safely observe them hovering at flowers from inches away. If one enters your home, gently trap it with a cup and cardboard to release it outside at night.

Hyles gallii ( bedstraw hawk-moth , galium sphinx ) is a moth of the family Sphingidae.

Photo: Joey Bom, CC-BY, via iNaturalist