Hummingbird Hawkmoth

an insect that looks like a bird.

Jan 12, 2007
John Blatchford

Hummingbird Hawkmoth - Marcel DuMarche

A really beautiful hawk moth that flies by day, hovers like a bird and regularly migrates. Not a threatened species, but well-worth encouraging!

Macroglossum stellatarum (the Hummingbird Hawk moth) is unusual in that he can hover well and flies during the day. He migrates from his stronghold in the south every summer, when he can be seen all over Europe (there are similar moths in America). The larvae seem to prefer ‘bedstraws’ and the adults will drink nectar from a wide variety of flowers.

The adult Hummingbird Hawk moth sets up a routine for normal daily feeding and seems to fly ‘circuits’ by the clock, so if one is seen on such-and-such a flower at 11.00 one morning he will be there again tomorrow and the next day etc.. This makes him very easy to watch once you have first noticed him.

I saw my first Hummingbird Hawk moth several years ago one summer in the Auvergne (France). The sun was very bright and I noticed iridescent dartings around a huge lavender bush. Definitely hummingbirds I thought, and a quick jog through the memory banks revealed that they shouldn't be there in France. A new discovery! Creeping a bit closer he seemed to get smaller, and trying to go even nearer he simply vanished. “Quel domage” I thought “I will never see him again, and no-one will ever believe my new sighting!" (I soon realised they are all over France.)

Hummingbird Hawk moths regularly visit my lavender bush (planted specially for them) just outside my window in Villenueve de Duras (SW France). Their regular daily routine makes them easy to see, but I have found them impossible to photograph (others have had more success!).

None of the Nature Guides do the Hummingbird Hawkmoth justice, they are much more beautiful than they look on paper. It is worth relaxing in the sun (sipping wine?) near a lavender bush, and keeping your eyes open for small (2 cm max) 'furry' little bird-shaped bodies darting and hovering around the flowers in bright sunshine. As they hover in front of the flowers they drink nectar. If you can get close enough, you will be able to make out the long tongue probing the flowers and a blur of wings encasing a subdued iridescence.

The caterpillars eat leaves and are particularly fond of Lady’s Bedstraw (Galium verum). This plant could be grown near lavender in places visited by hawkmoths, in the hope that the adults can be tempted to lay their eggs there. If this were successful it would be possible to watch the caterpillars develop while observing the adults at the same time.

John Blatchford - John Blatchford (Fellow of the Society of Biology UK - Zoology Ph.D.)

Comments

Aug 17, 2008 12:35 PM

Guest :

I saw one of this in Columbus, Ohio on August 17th 2008 in my back yard around my flowers. I look it up on this site since I did not know what it was. The site does not talk about it being native to the USA. Is this a common insect that is found in the USA?

Aug 19, 2008 4:14 PM

Guest :

I just saw one in London Ontario. I also was not sure what it was until looking it up on this site

Aug 22, 2008 1:04 PM

Guest :

I have photos and a small video of one of these I saw one a couple years ago but it looked like a huge bee same color black and gold. This year I saw one just like this,and got the pics to prove it however I live in pittsburgh pa and was wondering same thing did not say any in usa

Aug 28, 2008 8:14 AM

Guest :

I have recently seen one of these in my garden in Sarnia, Ontario, several times. After many years of gardening, this is the first time I have seen such a moth and was very curious about it.

Aug 30, 2008 7:07 PM

Guest :

I saw one of these in Albany, New York on August 22nd 2008 in my front yard visiting my impatients. It had a green body, a brown tail, and irridescent wings. I had no idea what it was, until I looked it up on this site. I also see that the site doesn't say anything about them being native to the USA. I would like to know also if they are commonly found now in the USA.

Sep 1, 2008 9:08 AM

Guest :

I am a meter reader and after 3 years, I have finally seen the hummingbird Hawkmoth. Thank you for posting this website as I have been wondering what these cool critters are. I've seen 3 in the last month and they are so cool to watch.

Sep 14, 2008 6:35 AM

Guest :

I took a fantastic picture of one of these humming bird moths,front on with wings flapping at high speed and proboscis into the flower.I had never seen one before and only your site enlightened me.This was taken on the peloponese, mainland greece while on holiday sept 2008

Sep 24, 2008 5:45 AM

Guest :

We have just returned from a holiday near the Gironde river in France. 2 of these moths fed each day on the flowers of a sage plant. The owner of the property seemed to know nothing about them and looked quite bemused when we tried to describe them (or perhaps that was due to our French).
Anyway thanks for helping us identify them.

Sep 26, 2008 2:11 PM

Guest :

I swear I saw something like this my backyard in Dallas Tx. It went into the grass and dissappeared before I could get a real good look at it. That's why I am here.

Sep 30, 2008 2:18 PM

Guest :

i saw one on my honeymoon in italy (grado) and thought it was a bird untill i looked a little closer !

Oct 14, 2008 4:14 PM

Guest :

I live in Savannah, Ga and my husband just called me outside to check these out. There were 6 or 7 of them swarming around my Ginger Lilies. They were very bold and started to dive after us as if they wanted us to leave. I saw these a 2 years ago when my Moon Flower was in bloom also, but have never seen this many at one time. I'm glad I found out what they were. What an experience! blg

Feb 14, 2009 5:54 PM

Guest :

We don't have this species in America, but we do have many others in the same family (Sphingidae), and a lot of them look like hummingbirds. A great site for identification is <http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/>, where you can even see what species live in your county. Another great site, for all insects, spider, etc., but just for the U.S., is <http://bugguide.net/node/view/15740>. You can browse pictures or post your own and ask for identification.

Mar 12, 2009 6:46 PM

Guest :

I have pictures of this moth on our Four O'Clock flowers. It returned habitually just as this article states. We live in Terry, Mississippi. I guess they may be native to this area, but this was my first view of the moth and I've lived here for almost 50 years.

Mar 16, 2009 9:20 PM

Guest :

I saw something similar this afternoon in Baton Rouge, LA (USA). It didn't seem as furry, but it hovered just like a hummingbird & poked a beak or proboscis down into my citrus tree blossoms. It looked like a tiny hummingbird, even imitating the birdlike tail. However, upon careful examination, I could see the tiny insect legs under the body. Fascinating. Had never seen one previously.

Mar 25, 2009 1:33 PM

Guest :

My wife and were cooking dinner on our deck last night, March 24, 2009, in Rowlett, Texas and spotted one of these beauties. We track all of the little visitors to our backyard, and have been keeping a journal on the dates of our Hummingbirds. The irony of seeing this guy was we saw for the first time this year a Ruby Throated Hummingbird.
TLB in Texas

Apr 5, 2009 5:14 AM

Guest :

I just saw, what I think must be a hummingbird moth in my garden. I had to look it up on line as I had never seen any insect like that before. At first I thought it was a bumblebee because of its furry body, but the wings were beating too fast, just like a hummingbird, and the bodyshape was wrong; also it had this long black proboscis and long thin legs a bit like a cranefly, but I did not see any orange colouring - my creature was buff to dark brown and black and I thought its wings were clear, although I could not swear to that. I also thought that its back end was more rounded, but it never landed on the flowers, just hovering above them using its proboscis like a hummingbird. It fed on forget-me-nots, narcissus and pansies. Angelika Watson, Harlow, Essex, England, guest.

Apr 18, 2009 6:25 AM

Guest :

I saw one of these insects sucking nectar from a plant in my garden today in Cape Town, South Africa. I managed to catch in on a photograph. I thought at first it was some kind of bee or wasp, but was amazed to see how it hovered like a hummingbird. Only on looking it up in a book and then on the Internet did I find out that it was a Hummingbird Hawk Moth. What a beautiful insect. I sincerely hope that it visits again so that I can get more photos. I live on the slopes of Devil's Peak close to the Table Mountain National Park. Recently there was a fire that burnt the entire mountainside. I think the insects have needed to move further down the mountainside to seek flowers, and that could be why it was visiting my garden.

Jun 7, 2009 6:31 AM

Guest :

I believe we had one in Appleton WIsconsin this week. It had 2 yellow stripes on its back (crosswise between wings and tail) and we first thought is was a huge bee feeding ot a flowereing bush.

Jul 18, 2009 3:59 AM

Guest :

Hi i have just seen my first Hummingbird Hawkmoth today Sun 18th July i live in Dewsbury West Yorkshire is this a first so far North. D.Scott

Jul 18, 2009 5:02 AM

John Blatchford :

Certainly the furthest north in England that I have heard about.
John.

Jul 24, 2009 12:27 AM

Guest :

I saw one in Peterborough England UK, in 2007. It is native here, but very very rare. It was one of the most gracefull creatures I have ever seen.

Jul 25, 2009 8:17 AM

Guest :

I rescued a hummingbird hawk from my swimming pool yesterday. I held it in my hand until it was dry and I thought would fly away. However, it doesn't seem to be able to fly and would rather relax in the the comfort of my hand. Right now, it is perched on a petunia, but I'm afraid it will die if it doesn't move on. Can anyone offer any suggestions?

Aug 6, 2009 7:26 PM

Guest :

Doesn't look like anyone has posted recently, but I had 2 of these hawkmoths fluttering at my head this afternoon!!! I am in Northeast Georgia!!! I have never before seen a hawkmoth, but once I saw the antannae and long "tongue", I knew it wasn't a hummingbird! Gorgeous, fearless little creatures! My kids watched as they gathered nectar from some "needle and thread" flowers next to the carport! Can't wait to see them again.

Aug 16, 2009 5:16 AM

Guest :

Does anyone know if these creatures can live as far north as Pennsylvania? The variety I have seen has a lot of orange on the top of its body, near it's head.

Aug 19, 2009 10:15 AM

John De Laloe-Fox :

My wife and I have just spotted a Hawkmoth feeding on phlox in our garden, we have never seen one before and living in the North of England, in Scunthorpe North Lincolnshire we thought it was quite rare, on looking it up on the internet and gaining more information, we now look forward to see if it returns to feed on a regular basis, I did manage to get some good photo`s of it

Aug 27, 2009 10:49 AM

Guest :

There's a farm (http://www.rockhillorchard.com/) on Rt. 27 in Damascus Md that has a pick your own flower garden. I usually go there to purchase peaches and to pick flowers with my sons because there are tons of butterflies. Last year I saw the freakiest looking insect ever. But I only caught a glimpse. I went back this year and I saw it again, but this time I got a closer look. I couldn't tell if it was a insect or humming bird, but turns out it was a Hawk Moth. I snapped several photos of it that I'm printing for the kids.

Sep 6, 2009 4:51 AM

Guest :

Last night around two in the morning, after trying unsuccessfully to sleep, I stumbled into the living room and turned on the light. Darting around the room was this mammoth creature rapidly fluttering its wings and emitting a barely audible humming sound. When it finally rested on a wicker basket, I had it figured for a hummingbird. I carefully covered it with a glass and moved it and the basket out into the night where I released it. I told the teachers at my school that a hummingbird had somehow made its way into our house late at night, and everyone looked skeptical. Now I'm sure that it was a hawkmoth, but aren't they diurnal? My husband is disappointed that I didn't wake him up!

Sep 10, 2009 6:35 PM

Guest :

I saw one at a gas station in Louisianna (by the bayou). It was about 11:00pm and it was flying aroud the lights. It was furry like a bird, wings like a hummingbird, but bug like also. My husband first thought it was a tiny bat.

Oct 19, 2009 2:44 PM

Guest :

Dublin, Texas - I spotted several in our hummingbird/butterfly garden today. They let me get within a couple of feet so I noticed their legs and looked up "hummingbird insect." This site topped Google's results so I thought I'd let you know they are in North Central Texas too.

Nov 3, 2009 7:16 AM

Guest :

Saw one today in my garden in South Wales, United Kingdom taking nectar from my large purple salvia. Beutiful insect.

Apr 19, 2010 7:13 AM

Guest :

Just returned from the south of France. Spotted what I thought was a baby hummingbird hovering and feeding with the bumble bees on some scotch broom, just a few feet from the Mediterranean. (SanRaphael)
Now I am wondering what a young hummingbird really looks like because they certainly don't go from infant in the nest to full grown. So somewhere aren't there hummingbirds that look like hawk moths???

May 4, 2010 10:01 PM

Guest :

Hi, We have seen one at Tolga Qld 4882 on the Atherton Tablelands in Australia. njr

Jun 20, 2010 4:01 PM

Guest :

I live in Fayetteville Arkansas and have seen Hummingbird Hawk Moths in my back yard is this a normal occurance?

Jul 7, 2010 7:00 PM

Guest :

We just saw one in Mansfield, Ohio. have several pics of this unusual moth, we didn't know what it was. Hope to see tomorrow and will take more pics.

Jul 10, 2010 3:31 PM

Guest :

We saw one of these in Alva, Scotland (just outside Stirling) a few years ago and we were sure we'd seen an escaped-pet hummingbird. Just saw it again and (finally) googled it, and found it was a hummingbird moth. He was sipping from our red valerian and lavendar. Will definitely keep an eye out for him again-- he's beautiful! Is this the farthest north anyone has heard of one?

Jul 11, 2010 5:18 PM

Guest :

Just saw one in South Jersey USA. Never saw one befor. Now I know what it is. ..Have some pics. Get more Mon.....

Jul 12, 2010 12:06 PM

Guest :

I just saw one in my back yard. Illinois, Chicagoland area

Jul 14, 2010 3:07 PM

Guest :

We have had these on our lilac, honeysuckle, and bee balm on an annual basis in northern West Virginia. Our "locals" are Snowberry Clearwing Hummingbird Moths - yellow body with black bands and clear wings. We thought at first they were some sort of cross between a bumble bee and a hummingbird. They are certainly beautiful, unique creatures.

Jul 16, 2010 8:26 AM

Guest :

Hi,
I saw a few here in La Rochelle while having a walk. I thought it was a propper hummingbird at first.
Rich

Jul 18, 2010 6:46 AM

Guest :

I have just taken some pictures of a Hummingbird Hawkmoth in my garden in Laverstoke Hampshire. It is a beautiful insect.

Jul 20, 2010 3:32 PM

Guest :

I've had these in my yard for several years and yes they show up at the same time of year and visit plants at the same time each day, wonder insect. Syracuse New York

Jul 22, 2010 9:15 AM

Guest :

I see a ton of these things on a bush by my house. At first we thought they were baby hummingbirds but then were unsure. These things are quiet neat.

Jul 27, 2010 2:18 PM

Guest :

Today, for the first time in my life I saw a hummingbird hawkmoth. It was the most beautiful thing and I could not believe my eyes -- what was it, a miniature hummingbird or a butterfly? I came home and immediately found it on the net and read the wikipedia entry. Surprise! They are not supposed to be here IN THE US! Yet it is true. I say it feeding on nectar off the flowers next to my house in Central Pennsylvania! I guess it means, they are here.

Jul 28, 2010 1:15 PM

Guest :

Today I watched a hummingbird hawkmoth feeding on the buddliea tree in my garden. It was the first time I have seen this unusual moth. The summer here ,close to Edinburgh,has been warmer than most,and the buddliea in full flower,maybe attracting the moth?

Jul 30, 2010 10:52 AM

Guest :

Today I stepped outside my door to leave the house, and something caught my eye. It was like a hummingbird, but looked more like an insect. I asked my boyfriend...what the heck is that?? We sat and watched it for about 30 minutes as it fed off a flower bush that we have (I'm not sure what kind, I think maybe a hyacinth). It was so interesting and beautiful. we took several pictures, and I decide to look online to try and see what it is. I searched "insects that look like hummingbirds" and it brought me here, with a picture to confirm what I had seen. It was awesome!! Also, I live in central Maine (USA)...so I think this moth is migrating further than usual!!! i'm glad to know that he will stick around, and that I will be able to see him again!!

Jul 31, 2010 12:55 PM

Guest :

I live in eastern North Carolina and I saw one of these interesting insects in my flower garden for the first time today. I thought at first it was a baby hummingbird as it just kept hovering and never lit on any one of the flowers. I was so amazed by it I took too long watching and suddenly thought of the digital camera. By time I got back with the camera it was gone. Since your article mentions that it should return at same time each time I will try again to get a photo.
I live in eastern North Carolina.
Thank you for sharing this article.

Aug 4, 2010 10:27 AM

Guest :

Just spotted one of these in Lazise on the shores of lake Garda in Italy. Googled insect that looks like a hummingbird and landed here!

Aug 5, 2010 9:32 PM

Guest :

I just saw on today. 8/4/2010. In Charleston Maine. When I first saw it I thought maybe it a baby humming bird. Then the more I looked at it look like a big weird bee. Then I saw two and was worried.....does it sting. Now I am glad I took some great photos and looked on here. Once I found out they were nothing to worry about and would not hurt anything I liked watching them!!

Aug 13, 2010 9:08 PM

Guest :

Spotted on August 13, 2010 in Jesup, Georgia, USA.
Flew very near, about 11:30 pm, we had no idea what it was. Loving a pepperment lilly.
Sweet to see one here, about 60 miles from port at Brunswick, GA.
You can add a dot to the distribution map.

Aug 15, 2010 12:56 PM

Guest :

I saw one on 8/11/2010 in East Liverpool, Oh.

Aug 18, 2010 1:57 PM

Guest :

I live in Central City, Iowa and I saw a hummingbird hawk moth a week ago on my petunia's. I couldn't figure out what it was. It had a beak like a hummingbird, and a body like a bug. It was never afraid of me. I could just walk up to it and it continued to sip nectar out of the petunias.

Aug 19, 2010 3:40 PM

Guest :

I had one visiting my flowers...thought at first it was a "hummer"...Boy was I suprised when I got to walk up close enough to see it "up close and personal". How weird but beautiful.
Debbie, Moline, IL

Aug 26, 2010 12:31 PM

Guest :

We have these in Ontario Canada.Seen a video.

Aug 29, 2010 8:45 AM

Guest :

I have the hawk moth getting nector from my butterfly bushes,I have never seen anything like this before here in central Ohio.However we are enjoying watching them since we know what they are now

Sep 14, 2010 4:41 PM

Guest :

I just saw 1 in Northern VA 9/14/10 -- It was awesome :) Thanks for putting this up

Sep 18, 2010 1:48 PM

Guest :

I saw the Hummingbird Hawkmoth and, like others, thought it was a baby hummingbird until I saw the antennae.... it was sipping from the Lantana flowers in my garden in Mesa, AZ. However, it had a grayish, fuzzy body, not the bright colors described in the piece. Must be a cousin!

Sep 20, 2010 3:41 PM

Guest :

We had one hanging around for a week or better here in northern Michigan Had never seen one before, so it took a bit of work to identify it. It was such a treat to watch, and we are hoping to see more next summer.

Sep 20, 2010 8:00 PM

Guest :

Well, I live in Hampton Va.and i have seen a few .We had no idea what it was. My neighbor had a few flying around her flower beds. It was really great to watch.

Oct 10, 2010 1:00 PM

Guest :

Just saw one today on the Promenade Plante in the center of Paris, France. I had never heard of such an animal before!

Dec 29, 2010 5:21 PM

Guest :

Great article. I watched what I thought was a hummingbird hovering and eating from a fuschia flower in Melbourne in 1976. I have never forgotten seeing it and what it looked like. Everyone I told thought I was crazy when I mentioned it, so I am happy to finally know what it really was.

Apr 16, 2011 9:52 AM

Guest :

I have some in western North carolina, USA. Beautiful. I love watching them!

Apr 25, 2011 10:40 AM

Guest :

I had the pleasure of one visiting my flower garden in Central North Carolina, USA this week. Just as described, it was hovering above a bush of pansies and using its long straw of a tounge to drink nectar from the flowers. Initially I thought it was a large bumble-bee, then I noticed it's shape was more akin to a humming bird. Since it's early into spring, I will look for a frequent visit and hopefully enjoy this majestic creature again. Thank you for posting these details. Mystery solved!

Jul 1, 2011 10:58 AM

Guest :

i saw this insect 2 days ago in croatia

Jul 10, 2011 2:15 PM

Guest :

Just saw one this afternoon. It's July 10, 2011, northern VA. Absolutely beautiful and not at all afraid of my or the dogs' presence. This was a first sighting for me.

Jul 18, 2011 2:31 PM

Guest :

july 18th we spotted what we thought was a baby hummingbird,, but when we got up close to it about a foot away it was feeding and noticed it had antennas. my daughter got some pictures.. it was not scared of us, was hovering while feeding just like a hummingbird,but no hum to its wings..western penna.

Aug 10, 2011 6:05 PM

Guest :

we have seen a few of them at our flowers this summer here in Burks Falls, Ontario

Aug 26, 2011 4:23 PM

Guest :

My husband and I just saw one hawk moth today for the first time in our back yard in Cortland, New York. It was feeding on our beebalm flowers. Didn't know what it was, but it resembled to us as a hummingbird, so I googled it as hummingbird insect, entered your website and voilá there it was. Can't wait to see it again tomorrow since you say it will come every day at the same hour. We thought we had discovered a new species!!! hahaha

Sep 7, 2011 7:25 PM

Guest :

I SAW ONE SEPTEMBER 7TH 2011 ON MY FLOWERS IN MAGNOLIA ,AR . IT WAS THE SAME COLOR AS THE ONE IN THE PICTURE .I SEEN ANOTHER ONE THAT WAS GOLD IN COLOR ,IT WAS SMALLER THAN THIS ONE .THEY BOTH COME AROUND IN THE EVENING RIGHT BEFORE DARK.

Sep 13, 2011 10:21 AM

Guest :

saw one in fountain, co around my hibiscus

Oct 6, 2011 8:27 PM

Guest :

We have had one in our yard for about a month. Very strange, as I have never seen before in Saskatchewan. Just saw again today, on the 6th of October. Do they migrate, or just die in the fall, as it is getting cold in Canada?

Feb 18, 2012 12:49 AM

Guest :

I just saw one this afternoon. I live in Victorville, CA. The high desert. i'm not sure if this is normal

Apr 5, 2012 7:53 AM

Guest :

I had something that looked similar to this sipping nector from my rosmary flowering bush... I told it it was beautiful and it lit on my pant leg for a second... and then flew back to the bush. Prescott Arizona area.

Apr 5, 2012 7:55 AM

Guest :

May 25, 2012 2:35 AM

Guest :

charlotte north carolina saw 1 outside house on lavender flowers got set of 6 big lavender plants. walking closer was strange that this hummingbird wasn't moving away from me . got closer like 2 feet .holly cow its a bug !!!?? macroglossum stellatarum hawkmoth was feeding in order 3 flowers on each plant then left.cool to find out it comes at same time everyday .maybe pictures coming. was great look n 1.

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Hummingbird Hawkmoth

an insect that looks like a bird.

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