Hummingbird Hawk Moth

well you have just done it so no worries or did you mean without doing a blog?

they are beautiful moths aren't they, so quick and suck a long 'tongue'.

Is there another way I wonder?

Yes, thanks, Seaburn, their proboscis is amazing.

They are wonderful aren't they. I optimistically grow Lady's Bedstraw (Galium verum) just on the off chance that there is one about looking for somewhere to lay eggs - no luck so far!

Honey - is that the only flower that they lay eggs on?

How lovely to see one. I shall look at it on Google. An elephant hawk moth is the nicest one I have ever seen.

I have just looked, what a privilege to see one in your own garden.

How super, never seen one in the UK yet.

I bet that was an exciting moment,Sheila..how lovely..I've never seen one for real either..I must remember they like Verbena in future..Is it any particular Verbena please..? I only know of two ..bedding ,and the one with the long name...I can say it,but not spell it without looking it up ! Lol

I saw one once in Stafford -talk about excitement! We didn't know what it was at first. I'm thrilled for you - definitely the high spot of the summer?

How lovely for you to have seen one of these insects Sheila. Here is some information I found about them:

Hummingbird hawk-moths can be easily seen in gardens, parks, meadows, bushes, and woodland edge, where the preferred food plants grow (honeysuckle, red valerian and many others).

Their larvae usually feed on bedstraws or madders (Rubia) but have been recorded on other Rubiaceae and Centranthus, Stellaria, and Epilobium.

Adults are particularly fond of nectar-rich flowers with a long and narrow calyx, since they can then take advantage of their long proboscis and avoid competition from other insects. Examples of such plants include Centranthus, Jasminum, Buddleia, Nicotiana, Primula, Viola, Syringa, Verbena, Echium, Phlox, and Stachys. They are reported to trap-line, that is, to return to the same flower beds at about the same time each day.

Thank you so much for all your lovely comments . . . Chris, Sandra, Siris and Sue! Wow - thank you for all that info Shirley :) I was just going to mention that I'd put "Hummingbird Hawk Moth" into the GoY Search engine, and found that in 2011 a member called Judywolf said that they love Honeysuckles . . . she was growing 13 varieties.

Sandra - me too - they like Verbena bonariensis and ours, which are the trailing 'bedding' ones.

Stera - we didn't know what it was, and OH had to look it up. Yes, a real thrill, thanks again :))

If Shirley is right, maybe he (or she) will come back tomorrow!

Wow,so much information ! thanks Shirley and Sheila..and for taking the time to spell Bonariensis ! Lol .I was just too bone idle to check :o) x

Lol Sandra! We were so lucky that it was a sunny day yesterday . . . hope the little thing finds shelter from the cold and wet today.

Wow, had to look it up. Lucky you!!! :-)

Thanks Jen - yes, we did feel very lucky!

Thanks Julia . . . how lovely to see a Swallowtail . . . they're huge, aren't they?

Wow! Lucky you. I've only ever seen them when on holidays in warmer climates than we usually have here, although I did come across its caterpillar in the garden, a couple of years ago.

I've never seen one before so I had to look it up, I didn't think we had them in this country.
I've only ever seen the caterpillar of the privet hawk moth, that is pretty spectacular.

What does its caterpillar look like, Waddy??

Sheila, I've just looked up Google and checked out images.

It's a lovely moth, I must say. You were very fortunate to see one.

Haven't seen many butterflies or moths this year.

What a spectacular sight that must have been Sheila. I still have yet to see one but checked with Google.

Thank you Eirlys and Paul . . . it was quite exciting watching the way it "hovered" over each tiny flower.

Saw this on a BBC site dated June 2016

The charity Butterfly Conservation is asking wildlife-watchers to check their gardens for tiny hummingbird-like moths, in a bid to find out if a striking European insect is colonising the UK.
Hummingbird hawk-moths, which typically visit from continental Europe during the summer, may be spending the winter in sheltered spots or even greenhouses of Southern England.
The moths beat their wings 80 times per second, allowing them to hover over flower heads and feed on nectar.
Spotting a hummingbird hawk-moth has long been considered a good omen - a small swarm of the orange and brown moths was famously seen flying over the Channel on D-Day in 1944.

Thanks Green fingers for the info . . . it will be interesting to find out if they are becoming more common.

I'll post a pic of the caterpillar for you Sheila.

Thanks Julia!

Must have been interesting to watch. I've never seen one.

It was, Hywel. But - who knows - maybe this will have been our one and only time.