Hummingbird Hawk Moth
Does this chap count as Butterfly or a Hummer?
Closer to a butterfly,its a moth.Mike
I still remember the first time I saw one of them. I knew it wasn't a hummingbird since it was evening and totally freaked out. My roommate was cracking up because I came in hollering about the pterydactyl outside in the cypress vines. :) Basically if it flies and I don't know what it is--it is categorized as a pterydactyl and that's that:)
Well, yes, it's a moth... But, it's behavior is very hummingbird-esque! I learned about these guys on DG last year... and decided there's a good reason not to just smoosh every tomato hornworm I find! This year, they will get moved across the yard, far from the tomatoes... I'm not promising to spare every one of them, either... depends on how much tomato plant they have munched and whether or not I think they're a "repeat offender" hah!
LOL at the all-purpose "pterydactyl" classification! It's better then "UFO!"
Well that beats our families - "buzzy thing"! LOL
I am just amazed they can hover like that - their bodies are so relatively huge compared to the wing span. Moving the wings that fast must burn a huge amount of energy. Isn;t nature amazing?
These are so cool! I got to see my first one last summer just about dusk. It even let me get up really close to it to take some pics and show my family.
I saw one briefly in Wal-Mart the other day. As I came in the front door a lady was putting baskets of petunias on a table and this "thing" was flying frantically all over the place. She was dodging it and I stopped and told her it looked like a hummingbird moth (she had never heard of them) and that it probably came in one of the petunia baskets. I told her not to be afraid of the bugs if she was going to work with the plants. :)
I'm so glad to know others have seen this guy, too! I'm not crazy after all! I saw him last year and when I told the kids, they laughed at me. They even stayed outside well passed dark with flashlights searching for this "alien hummingbird". My boys are 11,10, and 6, so you can imagine their enthusiasm. Maybe we'll spot him this year and be lucky enough to get his mugshot as well!
-Tanya
We have that one and a smaller version. My hubby called to me from the yard one evening. He said "you've got to see this little bitty hummingbird, it must be a tropical one just passing thru." It was a little moth that looked just like a teeny tiny hummingbird.
I had a smaller one a few years ago. I only saw it once. It was was what they call a clearwing hummingbird moth. Yep...found a pic of it. It was smaller than this kind and looked like a big bumble bee.
http://www.cirrusimage.com/moths_snowberry_clearwing.htm
This message was edited Apr 4, 2006 5:41 PM
...link wasn't working
This message was edited Apr 4, 2006 5:42 PM
Dmac, you're cracking me up!
Me too Critter. No squashing.
They pupate in the ground, and are fairly large. You can tell it's them by their ''tongue'' looped down and attached to their pupae chest. Really neat!
I had a clearwing too. Never saw anything like it. It hasn't been around for a few years. I read they can be destructive.
Had these last year on my moonflower vines. I had no idea what they were. My neighbor and I along with our kids were just amazed that they would come so close to us! This year she wants me to plant moonflower along the fence between our yards.
I've never seen these before. They are something new for me to watch for. I used to work second shift, so was never outside at the right time, I guess.
I love the pterydactyl designation. That's just too funny. I have been in the "buzzy thing" mode, too. I have books about birds and butterflies but by the time I get the book, the object of my investigation is usually gone---and they NEVER hold still for pictures. I try to be sneaky, but it just doesn't help. I guess you have to just be standing right where they land with your camera all ready to go.
I keep my camera with me 90% of the time, but you can bet that if I haven't got it something great will be waiting to be snapped. Like the Bald Eagle that followed the car up a busy Freeway!! LOL
The moonvines are great but you have to put them where you can see them. I always forget that and put them too far back on the fence. I've already got some started.
My parents were over the other night and while we were out looking around at my bed we saw a little H. moth! It was so cute and not scared of us at all.
I like to keep my camera with me too. This time of year I'm usually running back into the house to get it before I leave, just in case. There is a roadrunner up the road that I want to take pics of again this year.
Ok, let me get this straight. My tomatoe worms, that I hate about as bad as Jap Beetles,morph into these little night visitors? Please tell me no!!
I love the moths don't get me wrong, but I'm gonna have a real hard time getting past the worm part.
Tina
Yes they do.
Yep, and hopefully you'll never look at them the same again. Whodathunk they turned into something so cool?
Do they crystallize like regular caterpillars at some point? I have had those worms that are longer than my finger!!
Butterflies make a chrysalis and since these are moths, they make a cocoon. But it's not a cocoon like silk moths make, but actually a hard shell. So, it sort of is like a chrysalis, but not called that. (lol) They bury themselves in the ground so you might dig one up while gardening. They are pretty creepy but you just have to remember what they turn into!
http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/hthysbe.htm
this moth is great at pollunating hardshell gourds that bloom at night.
If you go to this link I've 15 photos of the Hummingbird Moth that I was able to catch last September in my garden (there's even 1 pic from 2004). There is some accompaning text there that delineates some of their peculiar habits. They seem particularily fond of flowering tobacco and 4 o'clocks.
http://davesgarden.com/journal/ed/index.php?tabid=1783
this has been so much fun ! I have both kind but still enjoyed learning new facts about them. We do love photographing them,too !
Libby
I thought they were fairies until I caught one at about age 13. Boy was I devestated to find out they were not. LOL I still think they are magical, wonderful creatures tho.
LOL....That's too cute!
Awww, that is a neat thought Lavenderwolf. I wish I had thought that when I was young.
i saw one for the first time last year and i too thought it was a hummer. it was on the hummer feeder, it likes my bee balm. my sister came over and told me what it was. they are so beautiful! incredible pics! kathy
Just like the hummers, they seem to love my penstemons! They go from penstemon to penstemon bloom. Glad I have lots!
okus~
I'm 2blocks into Watauga, just south of you across Bursey Rd. Saw the first hummer yesterday...:-). It was a first spring ruby-throat. Went right for the sweet-pea blooms.. I had my camera, but I just watched the quick visit without taking a pic..
tmbolin.. get you some scraggly tomoatos to move them to, and save your eating tomatos. Or let them have those and get some more that you can keep removing them from, and to the ones they can have.
Deb
I've posted this photo on other threads because I didn't know this thread existed. I have the hummingbird moths in my yard and see them almost every night if I am outside. They definitely "hum" when in flight! And they are truly quick in flight!
This photo is not very sharp because he was moving so fast, but you can see how the Hummingbird moth uses it's wings in flight just like a hummer!
This message was edited Apr 29, 2007 10:49 AM
Super shots Becky, those are hard to take pics of, especially in the dark!! You did well!!
Deb
I've had one in my yard the last few days too! I love watching them because they never seem to be bothered by me. I was very happy to see that it was using my Larkspurs too. I was wondering whether or not they were a good nectar plant for anything, then I saw a BST and this fella at them.
Paige - Love that photo! The moth against all that purple! Lovely! :-) :-) :-)
Oh yeah Paige great shot of the HBM! Lovely Larkspurs!!
I found one last week under my car and took care of it for two days so the cats would not get it and I have one that has not come out yet in a bowl of dirt on my desk in front of me.
My son brought the pillar home from school last fall!
Hawkmoths pollinate deep throated flowers...we need them!
I think I am going to grow a couple of tomato plants and cover them with bird wire and leave the pillars there. Towards the end, bring them inside and feed them and they will pupate in a bowl of dirt for next summer...and they are SOOOOO cool.
Is another name for that "Phinx Moth"?... when my kids were young, I remember one of them saying "what's the name of that pink flower Mom? I want you to plant more of it near the corner of the house." I thought, "oh wonderful!!! my kids are taking an interest in my flowers!" I was wrong... dead wrong! lol... They were using their butterfly nets to catch the phinx moths! I looked and in their nets were the blosom heads of several of my flowers with the moth!!! They wanted the flower planted closer to the corner so they could sneak up on the moths!... Those "little kids" are now 22, 24, 26 and 30!
Pat
Yes - Sphinx Moth. ;-) LOL about your kids wanting more pink flowers! LOL!