Beautiful Eumorpha pandorus: another reason to grow native plants!

On the wall of the Danforth/Coxwell Library, my son and I were thrilled to spot this big (8-9 cm) beautiful moth, who was kind enough to stay put while we ran home to get a camera and bug book.

This beauty is intriguingly named Pandora sphinx moth (sphinx Pandore). Its larval hosts include Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia, vigne vierge de Virginie), and sure enough there is a Virginia creeper climbing on the wall of the library, which I photographed last year. (The larvae also feed on Vitis spp. (grapes, raisins).

I have been meaning to get some Virginia creeper growing in the backyard, and seeing this beautiful moth makes me all the more determined.

Parthenocissus quinquefolia: new foliage

Parthenocissus quinquefolia, known in English as "Virginia creeper" and in French as vigne vierge de Virginie, is a climbing perennial vine native to eastern and central North America.

Virginia creeper is such a vigorous grower that some consider it invasive, though I prefer to reserve the label "invasive" for non-native plants. In the fall, it is one of the first plants to turn colour, a gorgeous bright red. The dark blue berries provide food for birds.

I photographed this plant in front of the Danforth/Coxwell Library.