- Any moth of the family Sphingidae, of which there are
numerous genera and species. They are large, handsome moths, which fly
mostly at twilight and hover about flowers like a humming bird, sucking
the honey by means of a long, slender proboscis. The larvae are large,
hairless caterpillars ornamented with green and other bright colors,
and often with a caudal spine. See Sphinx, also Tobacco worm, and
Tomato worm.
Definition
