A large number of White-lined Sphinx Moths are visiting a flowering lilac bush in my yard tonight. I tried to and then successfully photographed one of them feeding. These moths are as challenging to photograph as hummingbirds and they even look like them too. I remember a number of years back I saw one of these during the day visiting some flowers and I thought it was a hummingbird! It must be a common mistake that people make since it was mentioned it in the Kaufman Field Guide to Insects. These moths are good sized and have a long, bill-like tube to suck up nectar, just like a hummingbird, plus they hover. If you want to see one of these strange insects go out to a flowering bush or a flower bed at night with a flashlight and you might catch a glimpse of this hummingbird of the insect world.
May 20, 2009
Sphinx Moth: hummingbird of the insect world
A large number of White-lined Sphinx Moths are visiting a flowering lilac bush in my yard tonight. I tried to and then successfully photographed one of them feeding. These moths are as challenging to photograph as hummingbirds and they even look like them too. I remember a number of years back I saw one of these during the day visiting some flowers and I thought it was a hummingbird! It must be a common mistake that people make since it was mentioned it in the Kaufman Field Guide to Insects. These moths are good sized and have a long, bill-like tube to suck up nectar, just like a hummingbird, plus they hover. If you want to see one of these strange insects go out to a flowering bush or a flower bed at night with a flashlight and you might catch a glimpse of this hummingbird of the insect world.
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5 comments:
I think you're right about Sphinx Moths being commonly mistaken for hummers. A few months back, my mom told me she thought we had hummingbirds in our garden, and when she took pictures, we realized it was a sphinx moth! Kind of creepy looking little creatures, but super awesome! :)
I just have one cruising the honeysuckle vine. I love the lilacs..
www.wildlifearoundus.blogspot.com
I live in Eastern Ontario (Canada). The sphinx moth I spotted in the lilacs, this afternoon, is darker and has two (2) bright yellow or luminescent green (I'm color-blind!!!) stripes. They keep coming back to the lilacs every year but I can't see them in any other blossoms such as apple, cherry, etc.
They are very beautiful insects.
I am glad I found your blog--very informative. I will be looking for that moth around here.
Thanks to everyone for commenting. Unfortunately my sphinx moth photographing has currently come to a stop because all of the lilac flowers died :(
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