Hummingbird moths practically live on the May Night salvia. Last fall they were all over the hyssop, but that isn’t in bloom yet. These are members of the sphinx moth family (which reminds me that I have some nice sphinx moth photos to show you one of these days). They look a lot like bumble bees, but they have transparent mothy wings and long torsos with a little fringey bit at the end. And they fly around—during the day—like hummingbirds. Josh said the other day, “Isn’t it weird that there are all these species we spend our whole lives not knowing about, yet here they are, right here in front of us?” Weird indeed.
Here’s a nicer view of both the fast-beating wings and its long tongue uncurling. One buzzed near my head and it really did sound like a hummingbird flying by. I could watch these guys all day, they’re just so cool.
3 responses so far ↓
1 Mary // May 3, 2008 at 11:21 pm
I was so excited to see my first hummingbird moth two weeks ago! A lifer! Lovely photos, Iris.
2 Linda Lowe // May 5, 2008 at 9:06 am
So that’s what they are. I saw my first one a few summers ago and didn’t know what in the world they were. I call them shrimp bugs because of their tails!
3 Iris // May 5, 2008 at 9:39 am
They DO look like shrimp! I hadn’t thought of that, but you’re right. I’m posting a Nessus sphinx moth today, which also has a shrimp-like body.
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