Yesterday evening I was out in the garden when I noticed a large insect buzzing around one of our flowers -- a hummingbird hawkmoth!
Some of you might remember that I saw a similar hummingbird moth when I was in Florida about a year ago. But I've never seen one here in the UK. Apparently they're fairly common at this time of year. Fellow blogger Mr. Pudding encountered the larva of a related species about ten days ago.
This one loved our honeysuckle, and then it moved on to our buddleia. Apparently these are two favorite food sources. It had an incredibly long proboscis, which it rolled up into a coil when it flew. I could get pictures as it hovered near a flower, but it was very fast zipping between blossoms -- there was no way for me to capture it in headlong flight.
An interesting fact about these moths -- they migrate to the UK from Southern France, Spain and North Africa. Apparently it's too cold for them to overwinter here. They also have good memories (!) and return to the same flowering plants repeatedly -- so we may see this one again.
Anyway, it was pretty exciting! I tried to take a video, but I clearly don't know how to operate the video controls on my camera, because I wound up with something that was mostly out-of-focus. I wish I'd had my iPhone handy.
Dave made some fabulous beef stroganoff last night -- he knows it's one of my favorite dishes, going all the way back to childhood. (I hate to say it, but no one makes it like Mom!) We rarely eat red meat anymore -- I can't tell you the last time we had beef at home. It's been months and months, and possibly more like a year. I think the last time I ate any beef at all was when I visited Ely about a month ago and had a hamburger.
The kids are all back at school now -- they arrived for orientation days Tuesday and yesterday, and as of today we'll be back on our regular schedules. I hope I run into one particular kid at some point -- he left a jacket in the library lost & found last spring and I saved it for him in the office all summer. It probably doesn't even fit him anymore!
Sincere applause for capturing those shots of the hummingbird hawkmoth! Amazing! Coincidentally, I also have an incredibly long proboscis which I roll up into a coil. It often hinders my ambulation.
ReplyDeleteI think your photos were pretty good--so hard to capture that quick wing movement. Will be interesting to see if this Hummingbird moth shows up in your yard again next year. Like the moth, we do have hummingbirds (coming all the way from South America, we're told) return to our feeders each year. One was so recognizable we named it Fat Bastard due to his size--he clearly gets to feeders early and often.
ReplyDeleteincredible shots! What a splendid little creature. I do believe I've seen them before too. I will start paying better attention.
ReplyDeleteThese moths are amazing, and your photos of them are fascinating. You're an incredible photographer. I've only seen one of these moths once in my life, in Chamonix in July 1976, and the memory is still vivid. It was a very warm Summer, and I did not know that such a creature existed so when it hovered in front of me I almost could not believe what I was seeing. I'm going to Florida in two weeks so I'll look for them there.
ReplyDeleteStrange and wonderful but I don't think I would stand still if it was flying at me. Great pic.
ReplyDeleteI love the photos. We have these moths too, and they are beautiful. One year I was able to get some really good shots of one that was feeding on the butterfly bushes. Your Dave is wonderful to fix your favorite meal. School has just started here too. It's a bit early this year. It usually doesn't start until after Labor Day. I'm getting ready to go shopping, so you have a wonderful day, hugs, Edna B.
ReplyDeleteI love these things! I've only ever seen one once. I thought it was an actual hummingbird, but it wasn't as skittish as a hummingbird, so I got a good look at it. I made Mike bring out the "real" camera to get a picture, which you can see here: Bugs Eye View Moth Post You commented on that post that you hoped you'd get to see one :)
ReplyDeleteP.S. this is the first time I've tried to imbed a link in a blog post comment so who the heck know what might happen. Ha!
You did some great work here to get photos of this guy. You have patience to sit and wait for these critters to stay still until you get a photo.
ReplyDeleteLove that hummingbird moth. You got some great photos.
ReplyDeleteWhat an exciting find in your garden. I have never seen a hummingbird hawkmoth. They must not like a desert environment.
ReplyDeleteI see them here on occasion. one year they were all over the yellow ginger but it was a death trap for them. their long tongues would get stuck in the flower and they couldn't get loose. I pulled a couple of still living ones off and they flew away, one was still alive but it was too weak and died anyway and I had three dead ones that sat on my shelf above the kitchen sink until they disintegrated, all within a couple of weeks. haven't seen any this year though. maybe they got the memo...stay away from the yellow ginger blooms.
ReplyDeleteHow cool is that moth! And substantial, too. Great shots, with wings in motion, even!
ReplyDeleteWe also have cut way back on red meat in our diets, only the occasional hamburger. I don't know if we're any healthier or not but I can't remember the last steak I had. So maybe the lack of red meat has affected my memory!
ReplyDeleteWhether or not you included a video, you captured your hummingbird hawk moth perfectly. Here in Texas, we also have a hummingbird moth or hawk moth. Ours is from the same Sphingidae family, but it's a clearwing species. I've mistaken them for hummingbirds many time, as they tend to go to the same plants the hummingbirds do.
ReplyDeleteThis time of year in Wyoming the hummingbird moths are abundant, We used to see how long we could hold them in our cupped hands before the fluttering got the best of us, We were gentle. The hornworm caterpillar is, however , aggressive in the garden, great photos of it's business in your garden, Very cool.
ReplyDeleteSo, hey, how 'bout that democracy thing???
Following closely...
We're lucky, you and I, to have partners who love to cook and do it mouth wateringly well, although I think you do better with the results on the scale than I do!
ReplyDeleteI love these photos...I did not go so at least had the familiarity of home while sick. Now, just worried as the forecasts worsen...
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