Hummer? Large Insect?

[CMStubbe320]

Was messing around on my back porch a few minutes ago and saw this little guy. He hung around for 5 minutes at least. About the time I decided to go get the camera I figured he'd be gone, but there he is. To compare his size (or lack thereof :p) those are million bell flowers he's eating from.

He's in the top left:

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h296/cmstubbe320/Hummer072107026.jpg

The bottom center:

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h296/cmstubbe320/Hummer072107022.jpg

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h296/cmstubbe320/Hummer072107033.jpg

Really cute. Kinda furry looking.

[Gregory]

Very cool. I think that is a moth but I don't know name right off the top of my head. I have seen those in the desert way up in mountains in Oregon. Looks and acts a whole lot like a hummingbird. Now I have to go find the name.

Gregory

[Gregory]

That is most likely what is called a spinx or hawk moth.

Gregory.

[DandyLioness]

THAT'S the same one that was in my house last nite!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[boo]

we call them hummingbird moths. :)

[Dave McCormick]

Called a clearwing. Over in UK they are called "Bee hawkmoths" for obvious reasons. Think this is the snowberry clearwing: Hemaris diffinis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemaris_diffinis)

I noticed them for the first time this year, but it was the Narrow-boarderd bee hawkmoth. Thought it was a bee at first, but saw it was too large. It sounds like a bee if you hear its wing beat up close.

[DandyLioness]

Hummingbird Moths - Sphinx or Hawk Moths

1. White-lined Sphinx Hummingbird Moths

http://www.birds-n-garden.com/butterfly/white-lined_sphinx_moth_link2.jpg (http://www.birds-n-garden.com/white-lined_sphinx_hummingbird_moths.html)

YAY! They are hummingbird moths. Cool!

[Dave McCormick]

Few things:

I bread them. Hawkmoths are cool. They love plants such as morning glory with tubular flowers. If you have a plant like a buddleah, you will see that in one visit, they will never visit same part of flower on that visit.

One, Moragns Sphinx, was discovered by Charles Darwin. He knew of a orchid with a flower base of 12 inches in Madagascar and knew there must be a moth that could feed from it and pollunate it. Years later, he discovered the moth. Its proboscus (tongue) is three times size of its body when fully out.

I am writing a lot on this for my website was was talking with someone who discovered a new species of Hawkmoth. He told me:

"I found a new species of moth. Found in 1998 in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania. Not only was it a new species, but it was a complete new genus! A Norwegian friend of mine made the scientific description and genitalia pictures.

It was confirmed and verified as a new species/genus by the entomological department of the Natural History Museum in London, and its description was officially published in the Belgian publication, Lambillionea. The moth is now called "Viriclanis kingstoni"."

So you can see why they are cool. And I have noticed that their eyes look different than other butterflies and moths. They have a pupal, like humans and others. Not like the flies eye that butterflies eyes look similar too.

[CMStubbe320]

Thanks all. I thought it was a baby hummingbird at first. I didn't hear it buzz at all (like the hummers wings do) and I was only a few inches away from it. The wings looked transparent. Still it was pretty cool. I knew ya'll would come along and TEACH me something. Thanks.

[DandyLioness]

Dave, so you breed them??? That's totally cool!!! :o

[Ginny42]

I've been seeing a lot of them lately, they usually come around when the tall garden phlox opens up. For the first time yesterday, I saw them going to my impatiens also. They like liatris too.;)

[Dave McCormick]

I bread Hummingbird Hawkmoth last year. So cool to see, but they are hard to look after. See the Hummingbird Hawkmoths on red valarien on top of walls on farm. Very nice sight. (Hummingbird hawkmoth not clearwing species)

Anyone know how to photo these creatures? I have tried and not suceeded. I have a short clip of a Narrow-Borderd Bee Hawkmoth I will upload when I can and show you (you can hear a slight buzz)

I have a large breeding area. Nothing but Large Copper in here in future for now. Moths are too hard to breed for people like me.

[arcticwolf8]

Chris,
I too have one that loos like your picture and as it was feeding this morning it did land not but 3 inches from me anf the wings are quite diffrent they are clear and veined as would a house fly or dragonfly wings
the wings had a redish tint to them. The ones I have been getting this is the 2nd year to see it.. The body shhem to be feathered but is hard to tell for sure it is so tiny mine are only about an inch long. And these also make a humming noise as a humming bird would.
Could some one please elaborate on that for me? the tail is black and very short and is almost like a shallow "w".