Hi all,
Just wanted to let you know a neighbor I see often walking her dog stopped me this morning while I was deadheading, she said she had seen a hummingbird moth in my garden on my lavender phlox. She was very excited by this, I have never seen or heard of one, so I googled it. Now I have something new to look for she said she had seen it around 7:00 PM. I am going to be watching. Has anyone else seen these moths?
Always In The Yard, Carla
Carla, I've heard of them but have never seen one (that I know of). Hope you can get a pic and share!
Here's a photo I got of one last year. I haven't seen any yet this year but I really hope I do. They are so cool!! They are huge and they do sound like hummers in the garden. My dh spotted this on our phlox one night while we were sitting by the pond. We were lucky enough to get some photos. The moth didn't seem to care at all.
Beautiful! I have a ton of phlox so maybe I'll get lucky???!!!
Wow, I didn't know they were around here. I've never seen one. I'll sure be on the lookout now.
- Tom
I think I had found his caterpillar earlier in the season last year. It was eating one of my guara down to the nubs, but I let him have it because he was so amazing. Then he disappeared and I was worried he'd been eaten. But a couple of months later we saw this one. So far I haven't seen any this year, but I would love to. They are also known as sphinx moths.
Pixy, what do the caterpillars look like? I found this one recently (actually found one in two difference places in the yard), but don't know how to recognize who's who at the zoo.
Pixie....Wow great pictures, thanks for sharing. Now I have a better idea of what to look for. My neighbor was so excited...she said she hadn't seen one since her childhood. I am glad she let me know, so I can share in her delight, I have never seen one!
Carla
I know I took photos of him, but I can't find the photo on my computer. Here is a google page of photos, though. The one I found was green.
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&rls=HPID,HPID:2005-21,HPID:en&pwst=1&resnum=0&q=sphinx+moth+larvae&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi
That one in your photo is really cool looking. I wonder what he is?
Here it is!
http://davesgarden.com/bf/showimage/3391/
ETA:
I don't think it's the same as the humminbird moth, but it does look very similiar
http://davesgarden.com/bf/showimage/2918/
This message was edited Jul 18, 2007 7:54 AM
Sorry! Me again.
I think the yellow and black one that you posted is this:
http://davesgarden.com/bf/go/240/
Very nice caterpillar website for reference!
http://www.whatsthiscaterpillar.co.uk/plates.htm
Renwings - I think you're right about "my" caterpillar . . . we had a ton of Cinnabar Moths around earlier in the season - very pretty. A bunch of them apparently hatched inside my house as I was rescuing them right and left.
Although I'm in the Northeast, these little guys frequent the garden in late spring.
Here is a link to some great photos I was able to capture this year :)
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/728862/
Enjoy!
Kim
Those are so pretty! I haven't seen one up here yet. You have a tender heart for rescuing them. Being a bug inside my house is usually a capital offense!
That is great info! I think there are many kinds of moths known as sphinx moths. I would love to see more of them. I don't remember my caterpillar having that large of a 'horn'. Also love the little Cinnabar moth! I don't think I have seen any of them around here but I would welcome them if I did. And likely I would rescue them from my house, too :) Nice photos, kim!
Kim fabulous photos!! I don't normally like insects in my house either, but try to rescue them anyway (good karma - in case I'm an insect in a future life!!).
Thank you so much Murmur, it was alot of fun playing with it that day :) I will remember it for a long time :) Sure wish the hummingbird bird would let me get that close *lol*
Ain't that the truth, Kim???!!!
