A White-lined Sphinx Caterpillar, which will become a White-lined Sphinx Moth, is also known as the hummingbird moth or hawk moth because of its hovering, swift flight patterns. White-lined Sphinx Moths are among the largest flying insects of the deserts, with adult wingspans exceeding 5 inches.

Sphinx Moths emerge at dusk from their hiding places and begin feeding on the nectar of flowers. Their size, combined with their rapid wing beats, allows them to hover and feed in the manner of hummingbirds, for which they are sometimes mistaken.

This manner of flight requires a great deal of energy and creates a good deal of heat in the moth's body. For these reasons, moths feed exclusively on nectar and seek flowers which produce large amounts of this water source which also contain high amounts of sugar. Such is the case with the evening primrose (Onagraceae) family, and particularly the dune evening primrose, which the White-lined Sphinx Moth is responsible for pollinating.