Distinctively shaped hawk moths, with their hummingbird-like flight, are a fascinating element of the natural landscape. Many night-flying sphingids are as big as bats.  The caterpillars, with their characteristic “horn” on the hind end, are no less beautiful, although some are the tomato gardener’s  nemesis. The caterpillars’ distinctive resting posture, with head raised into a sphinx-like pose, gives the group its other common name, sphinx moths.

This book’s comprehensive text covers the taxonomy of all recorded species and subspecies, discussing in depth aspects of their life cycle and ecology.  An  entire chapter is dedicated to predation and parasitism, and an appendix lists both previously reported host-parasitoid associations and many that are new to science. The large bibliography, with nearly five hundred entries, includes both older information and the latest publications.

The book is printed on acid free paper.  Hardcover with dust jacket; 8-1/2 x 11".