After seeing so many of these charismatic moths on our backpacking trip, we were both so excited to see a sphinx moth caterpillar in our backyard when we returned. I spent an hour watching it and sketching in my nature journal.
![close up of nature journal showing sphinx moth caterpillar sketch](https://i0.wp.com/www.lifeinyosemite.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023-08-19-14-21-01-1400x1117-1.jpg?resize=840%2C670&ssl=1)
I started off with my favorite light blue Pilot Color Eno pencil and then went back over with ink and watercolor. I didn’t erase, so you can still see the blue lines in some places. The pencil is also water soluable, so sometimes it ends up getting mixed into the watercolors.
No sooner did I start drawing, then it moved and dropped the leaf it was eating. I ended up finishing the sketch (on location) referring to some reference photos that I took before the caterpillar moved.
The most interesting thing was watching the caterpillar’s behavior. It spent most of the time hanging motionless from its back legs. I worried that I’d disturbed it somehow with my presence and this was its fear response, but then it started writhing about and found another small green leaf to chew on.
![Adult sphinx moth checking out the wilted flowers.](https://i0.wp.com/www.lifeinyosemite.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023-08-19-13-53-16-exportx1400-1024x785.jpeg?resize=840%2C644&ssl=1)
While I was drawing, an adult sphinx moth buzzed by to check out the wilted flowers from the Evening Primrose. I snapped a picture, and drew from that while keeping an eye on my largely stationary friend.
I didn’t get to see the famously voracious nature these guys are supposed to have until it returned to the leaf it was hanging on.
It started carving head-shaped arcs through the leaf on the opposite side of the vein and made quick work of that size as I watched.
Then, it sat still again for some time, despite no additional movement on my part. I wonder if that chewing tired it out – or if it needed to digest – or some other thing. In any case, it was time for me to go back inside, so I don’t know how long it sat there like that – head down and slightly arched away from the main leaf.
PS. Here’s the full page with some more notes and a drawing of the caterpillar munching the small leaf nearby.
![Full nature journaling page](https://i0.wp.com/www.lifeinyosemite.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023-08-19-13-52-57-exportx1200-1.jpeg?resize=819%2C1024&ssl=1)