Feb 17 2010
Hummingbird Moth
There is an interesting insect that visits my garden in the summer. It goes from flower to flower. It looks something like a cross between a hummingbird and a bumble bee. It is commonly called a hummingbird moth.
Hummingbird moth got its name because it is actually a moth, that behaves like a hummingbird. Its proper name is Hemaris thysbe, or “Common Clearwing”. The strange thing about the hummingbird moth is that moths don’t usually venture out during the daytime. This fellow is out in broad daylight going from one flower to another.
It is easy to see how it got it’s name. At first glance you could mistake him for a hummingbird. The hummingbird moth doesn’t really look like a moth at all!
Around here in Western North Carolina I see him regularly in the flower garden all summer. Actually, I usually hear him before I see him, because the sound of his wings is close to the sound of a hummingbird .
If you look close, you will see that this hummingbird has antennas and the familiar mouthparts of a butterfly. He has no beak. The host plant for the hummingbird moth is the honeysuckle vine.
Related butterfly garden posts:
- Butterflies and Moths How can you tell the difference between a butterfly and...
- All About Butterflies Before you can properly attract butterflies to your garden you...
- How to Attract Butterflies to Your Garden! Attracting butterflies to your garden is a very worthwhile goal....
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