Sphingidae
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Hummingbird Hawkmoth - Macroglossum stellatarum
In the British Isles they can be seen somewhere every year, and have been recorded in every county as far north as the Orkney and Shetland Islands. The numbers which reach our shores can vary greatly between years. The main season runs from June to September, with smaller numbers recorded throughout the rest of the year.
Hummingbird hawkmoth breeds regularly in the UK, and larvae have been found in most years in July and August. The favourite food plant is Galium (bedstraw) and Rubia (wild madder). The larva grows up to 60mm in length. It is very colourful with green or reddish brown body with white dots and dark, white and yellow stripes, black spiracles and a blue yellow-tipped horn.
The late summer peak in numbers is largely the result of emergence of locally raised moths. Even though the moths successfully breed in the UK, they are not able to survive the winter (in mild winters, small numbers may overwinter). Therefore, the continuing presence of this remarkable moth is dependent on the annual influx from southern France.
The hummingbird hawkmoth prefers to fly in bright sunlight, but it will also take to wing in dull weather, at dusk or dawn, and sometimes even at night. It is very strongly attracted to flowers that provide a plentiful supply of nectar, such as red valerian, honeysuckle, jasmine, Buddleia, lilac, Escallonia, petunia and phlox. It hovers in front of a flower, probes it repeatedly for nectar and then darts to the next flower. It has a remarkably good memory individuals return to the same flowerbeds every day at about the same time.
Taubenschwänzchen - macroglossum stellaratum
Sony A7RIII with FE 100-400mm GM and FE 1.4x Teleconverter
Hummingbird Hawkmoth - Macroglossum stellatarum
In the British Isles they can be seen somewhere every year, and have been recorded in every county as far north as the Orkney and Shetland Islands. The numbers which reach our shores can vary greatly between years. The main season runs from June to September, with smaller numbers recorded throughout the rest of the year.
Hummingbird hawkmoth breeds regularly in the UK, and larvae have been found in most years in July and August. The favourite food plant is Galium (bedstraw) and Rubia (wild madder). The larva grows up to 60mm in length. It is very colourful with green or reddish brown body with white dots and dark, white and yellow stripes, black spiracles and a blue yellow-tipped horn.
The late summer peak in numbers is largely the result of emergence of locally raised moths. Even though the moths successfully breed in the UK, they are not able to survive the winter (in mild winters, small numbers may overwinter). Therefore, the continuing presence of this remarkable moth is dependent on the annual influx from southern France.
The hummingbird hawkmoth prefers to fly in bright sunlight, but it will also take to wing in dull weather, at dusk or dawn, and sometimes even at night. It is very strongly attracted to flowers that provide a plentiful supply of nectar, such as red valerian, honeysuckle, jasmine, Buddleia, lilac, Escallonia, petunia and phlox. It hovers in front of a flower, probes it repeatedly for nectar and then darts to the next flower. It has a remarkably good memory individuals return to the same flowerbeds every day at about the same time.
A few weeks back, a neighbour knocked my door one evening, as another neighbour had found an 'amazing looking' moth in her garden. I was told to grab camera and come! Was pleased to find this lovely Poplar hawkmoth there!
Such beauties!
Shawbury - Shropshire
Taken in my Somerset garden! :)
My nature blog;
carlbovisnaturephotography.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/peregri...
Taken at Watchet in Somerset, UK. :)
My nature blog;
carlbovisnaturephotography.blogspot.co.uk/2017/09/woodcha...
In our garden.
Thank you all who fave and comment on my photo'/video's,much appreciated.And thank you all for looking.
Garden shot!
When I was composing this shot I thought that the horn end was it's head, when I returned it to the Weeping Willow, It turned out to be it's tail. lol
In our garden.
Thank you all who fave and comment on my photo'/video's,much appreciated.And thank you all for looking.
Taubenschwänzchen - macroglossum stellaratum
Sony A7RIII with FE 100-400mm GM and FE 1.4x Teleconverter
nice to have these at work today just the light let me down hopefully it will come back on a better day
Taubenschwänzchen - macroglossum stellaratum
Sony A7RIII with FE 100-400mm GM and FE 1.4x Teleconverter
On my way home I stopped briefly at my favorite shrub, the "butterfly bush", to look for butterflies.
In the process I discovered this beautiful butterfly.
Somerset, summer 2019. Chuffed to win Dundee Naturalist Society's annual photographic competition this week, with this Hummingbird Hawkmoth. View large please.
I thought perhaps I shouldn't post this at the moment as it's not seasonal, apart from the competition being this week, but I was surprised to see on facebook today, a Hummingbird Hawkmoth nectaring on a miniature daffodil, in England!