Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Bedstraw hawkmoth
Hyles gallii (Rottemburg, 1775)


Family: Sphingidae
Subfamily: Macroglossinae
Identification: Forewing upperside is dark olive brown with lighter brown along the outer margin and a tan band running from the wing tip to the inner margin. Hindwing upperside is dark brown with a pale narrow outer margin and a reddish median band which becomes white at the inner margin.
Wing Span: 2 1/2 - 3 1/16 inches (6.4 - 7.8 cm).
Life History: Adults begin flying in the late afternoon and dusk. Females lay eggs on leaves of the host plants. Fully-grown caterpillars pupate and overwinter in loose cocoons in shallow underground burrows.
Flight: . One brood from May-August.
Caterpillar Hosts: Bedstraw (Gallium), willow weed (Epilobium), woodruff (Asperula), and godetia (Godetia).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including bouncing bet (Saponaria officinalis), lilac (Syringa vulgaris), and Monarda.
Habitat: Open meadows and roadsides in coniferous forests; gardens.
Range: Newfoundland south through Maine to Pennsylvania; west to Alaska, Yukon Territory, and California. Also found in Eurasia.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.