Agrius cingulata
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[Photo] Pink-spotted Hawk Moth, Agrius cingulata adult taken by Shawn Hanrahan at the Texas A&M University Insect Collection in College Station, Texas. Date 30 January 2006. Photo by Shawn Hanrahan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Kugamazog)

The Pink-spotted Hawkmoth (Agrius cingulata, synonym: Agrius cingulatus) is a species of moth in the Sphingidae family. The imagines have a wingspan of 3 3/4 - 4 3/4 inches (9.5 - 12 cm).

They have a robust grayish brown body with pink bands, hence the name. Their abdomen tapers to a point. The hindwings are gray with black bands and pink at the base. They are nocturnal, feeding on the nectar from deep-throated flowers including moonflower (Calonyction aculeatum), morning glory (Convolvulus), and petunia (Petunia species). Larvae (Caterpillars) are large and stout, and have the characteristic horn of many members of the sphingidae family. They feed during the day and also during the night on sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), jimsonweed (Datura), and other related plants. A. cingulatus can sometimes become pests on the sweet potato vines.

Distribution
Originally a neotropical species (but also found on Galapagos and Hawai'i, adults migrate north up to Canada and south up to Patagonia and the Falkland Islands. There have even been reports from western Europe, for example Portugal. It has recently been established in West Africa and the Cap Verde Islands. They presumably arrived there from Brazil.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrius_cingulata

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