Our cat used to catch them.

She'd bring them into the house and watch them flutter at our feet. 

The white-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata) flies during the day and at night. It's not a graceful flier. It bumbles along like Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose on empty.

With a wing span between 2.7 and 3.9 inches long, it's easy to notice as it nectars on salvia (sage), honeysuckle, larkspur, columbines and other flowers. Some folks know it by its nickname, "the hummingbird moth."

A member of the Sphingidae family, the white-lined sphinx moth is found throughout most of the United States, plus Mexico, Central America and Canada. It's also been found in other parts of the world, including the West Indies.

It's definitely a delight to see! (But preferably not in the cat's mouth.)