Hawaii wildlife crews made a rare discovery in May 2026 when they found 10 Blackburn’s Sphinx Moth caterpillars in Lānaʻi City, as per a report.
The endangered moth is rarely observed, making the discovery notable. But the findings continued. During May and June, the same crews found Blackburn’s Sphinx Moth caterpillars in Halawa Valley and Kalae on Molokaʻi, as per The Pulse report. These were the first recorded sightings of the species on the island since the 1940s.
The discoveries have given wildlife officials new information about where the moth is still found and can help inform future monitoring and recovery efforts.
10 caterpillars found on Lānaʻi
Employees with the Division of Forestry and Wildlife, part of Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources, identified 10 Blackburn’s Sphinx Moth caterpillars in Lānaʻi City in May.
Only two previous records had been reported in Lānaʻi City since 2009, including a single caterpillar found in 2025, as per The Pulse. Together, the recent and earlier sightings suggest that a viable population of Blackburn’s Sphinx Moth remains on Lānaʻi.
Molokaʻi sightings break a decades-long gap
The same crews later found caterpillars in Halawa Valley and Kalae on Molokaʻi during May and June. The discoveries marked the first recorded sightings of Blackburn’s Sphinx Moth on Molokaʻi since the 1940s.
Finding the caterpillars at multiple locations suggests the moth had likely remained present but undiscovered. The records also update what officials know about the species' current distribution and can support future monitoring and recovery work.
A large moth that can be difficult to spot
Blackburn’s Sphinx Moth is one of Hawaii’s larger native insects. Adults can have wingspans of nearly five inches and can hover while feeding on nectar from flowers.
Its brown and gray coloring helps it blend into its surroundings, making it difficult to observe. The caterpillars have a horn projecting from their rear and feed on specific host plants. Adult moths feed on flower nectar as they move between food sources and can pollinate native plants.
The moth was once considered extinct
Blackburn’s Sphinx Moth once existed across most of Hawaii’s main islands. Native insects in Hawaii face pressures including habitat destruction, predation and non-native competitors.
By the end of the 1970s, scientists had concluded that the species was extinct. It was rediscovered on the eastern side of Maui in 1984, and additional populations were later found on Kahoʻolawe and the Big Island, as per The Pulse.
The recent Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi discoveries are especially notable because the moth had not been documented on Molokaʻi for decades.
Why the sightings matter
The new records give Hawaii wildlife officials a better understanding of where Blackburn’s Sphinx Moth continues to survive.
That information can help focus future monitoring, host-plant restoration and habitat protection efforts in areas where the endangered insect has been documented.
