End of 2007
Hummingbird Moth photo from August 2003
It seems like the end of 2007 has been just buzzing by so quickly. I had a hard time thinking of a critter that buzzed and suddenly I remember some older (2003) video that I captured of a Hummingbird Moth!! Hope you enjoy this cute little moth!
I just love watching these guys buzzing around but don’t be fooled in thinking they are a hummingbird! They are really a sphinx moth (also known as a Hawk Moth)!! They have a very long proboscis and will hover when collecting nectar from flowers! Their unique style of flying (for a moth) will make the Hummingbird Moth sound and appear to be a bee or hummingbird passing by!
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I saw my first Hawk Moth last summer. They are so special- thanks for the reminder! I wish you all the best in 2008 Tom.
28 December 2007 at 4:24 pm
I saw that kind of moth at the garden area of Woodcock Reservoir here in PA. I thought they were hummingbirds so I grabbed my camcorder but then noticed they were a kind of moth. Very odd moths! Pretty, too.
28 December 2007 at 5:29 pm
I *love* hummingbird moths Tom! They are so cool! Ohh, I love your video!
28 December 2007 at 6:04 pm
I just love watching these moths work the flowers in the garden. I have a photo of one just sitting on a lambs ear. I will see if I can dig that out to show you.
I like your little video clips.
28 December 2007 at 6:19 pm
I have never seen a moth like this! It is very neat. Nice to see some summer pictures.
28 December 2007 at 7:53 pm
i grow moon flowers for the humming bird moths.
i love this photo. ~nita~
28 December 2007 at 8:50 pm
@ Lynne – So glad you were able to see one this year! Thanks
@ Erie – They are great for sure but be careful they will fool you! Thanks
@ Pam – they are great, thanks!
@ Lisa – Will look for it! Thanks
@ Ruth – Sometimes we need a splash of summer! Thanks!
@ Nita – that is great of your growing those flowers for them!
28 December 2007 at 8:52 pm
The best place I found for humminbird moths was near Elko, Nv. when a friend and I were trying for Himalayan Snow Cock. We got the bird, but there were literally hundreds of huge hummingbird moths and were couldn’t get photos because it was dusk. It was very cool.
28 December 2007 at 9:50 pm
Awesome video! The theory on the ghost orchid pollinator here in Florida is the giant sphinx moth, though no one has seen this to find out for sure. We were going to video at night when the supposed pollination occurs but many circumstances prevented it. However, this video during the day makes me suspect that night isn’t necessary. Verrrry interesting.
28 December 2007 at 10:06 pm
I remember the first time I saw one of these I went up and pet it. I thought “wow! what a friendly hummingbird!”. My seccond thought was ” where’s that hummingbird’s beak?”.
Not a very bright child obviously.
29 December 2007 at 1:03 am
This was so much fun to watch. Thank you. I love coming to this site because I always learn something new. You open my eyes to the bounty of nature.
29 December 2007 at 9:42 am
The videos make me wish spring was here already–guess I will just have to wait.
29 December 2007 at 10:08 am
Good bye, 2007: to better photos and happiness in 2008
29 December 2007 at 10:19 am
Wow! What an outstanding video. Thanks for sharing it with us.
29 December 2007 at 10:47 am
It was always hard to keep from laughing when customers would come into Wild Birds Unlimited (when I was working there) and tell me about the hummingbird with a STRIPED BODY coming to the flowers in their garden. They sometimes had a hard time believing it was a moth and not a hummingbird.
29 December 2007 at 12:02 pm
@ John – How great and I see them very often here in Allegany! Thanks
@ Misti – thanks and we find these guys very often during the day time! Most sunniest part of the day! Must be a cousin of the Hummingbird Moth!
@ Naturepalette – They are different than our typical hummingbirds! Thanks!
@ Caroline – Thanks for your kind words and I do “try” to keep it interesting!
@ Joan – I make it through the winter knowing the warblers will be back in the spring!
@ Barb – it will be nice to see 2008 get here!
@ KT Cat – thanks and glad you enjoyed this!
@ RuthieJ- I all the time get the baby hummingbird bit and I try to explain to them that when the babies are flying they are adult size if not bigger than the adults!
29 December 2007 at 12:37 pm
Lovely, I have only ever read about these moths. I would love to see one with my own eyes. You live in a truly beautiful part of the world.
29 December 2007 at 3:43 pm
Great photo and video. I second what Crayon said. We had moths similar to that in New Mexico but not nearly has colorful. I just called them hummingbird moths as you had to look again to see that it wasn’t a little hummer. They usually came out at dusk and buzzed just like the bird.
29 December 2007 at 7:53 pm
@ Trixie – I do feel like I live in paradise sometimes! Thanks and I enjoy spending time in Allegany as you can tell! But would love to visit you up in Alaska one of these days!
@ TR @ Faraway – thanks and they are fun to see for sure! Thanks for sharing!
29 December 2007 at 8:14 pm
One of my favorite moths – they are always a thrill to see.
31 December 2007 at 12:29 pm
We have these in Hawaii, too. (Not sure if it’s the same species.) It took me the longest time to figure out what the heck these strange critters were. They like our bougainvillea.
31 December 2007 at 3:57 pm
Excellent image and video. We get many people in the store who mistake this moth for a hummingbird. I need to bookmark your post somehow (help?!?) so I can link to it sometime this spring. May I?
1 January 2008 at 3:18 pm
I used to be fooled by those.-I was surprised when someone told me they were a type of moth.-Nice image and video!
4 January 2008 at 8:38 pm