Moth? Hummingbird?
 

What did I see? In my petunias yesterday morning was a small, maybe two-inch
long moth (at least what I think was a moth), flying like a hummingbird. It
was a very good flyer, with motions much like a dragonfly, and when it entered
a flower for a drink, its wings kept beating just like a hummingbird's. For
the most part, it was brown, with two distinct yellow bands around its body. I
live in Chicago.

What did I see?

Moth? Hummingbird?
 

AuralFeast said:

What did I see? In my petunias yesterday morning was a small, maybe two-inch
long moth (at least what I think was a moth), flying like a hummingbird. It
was a very good flyer, with motions much like a dragonfly, and when it entered
a flower for a drink, its wings kept beating just like a hummingbird's. For
the most part, it was brown, with two distinct yellow bands around its body. I
live in Chicago.

What did I see?

Possibly a hummingbird clearwing moth. Definitely a moth in the Sphinx family
(Sphingidae).

Check out the candidates he
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/d...htm#sphingidae
--
Pat in Plymouth MI

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(attributed to Don Marti)

Moth? Hummingbird?
 

AuralFeast wrote:
What did I see? In my petunias yesterday morning was a small, maybe two-inch
long moth (at least what I think was a moth), flying like a hummingbird. It
was a very good flyer, with motions much like a dragonfly, and when it entered
a flower for a drink, its wings kept beating just like a hummingbird's. For
the most part, it was brown, with two distinct yellow bands around its body. I
live in Chicago.

What did I see?

A "hummingbird moth". One of several moths of the family sphingidae. I
saw one a couple of years ago in my flowering tobacco; it was weird.

Best regards,
Bob

Moth? Hummingbird?
 

After looking at the pics, I'm pretty sure it was a nessus sphinx moth. It was
wierd for sure, but cool in that it was found in a relatively urban area.

Moth? Hummingbird?
 

On 21 Jul 2003 14:23:42 GMT, (AuralFeast) wrote:

After looking at the pics, I'm pretty sure it was a nessus sphinx moth. It was
wierd for sure, but cool in that it was found in a relatively urban area.

The roost (so to speak) on the outside of our house on the limestone facade.
They are brilliant and beautiful insects. They pollinate our datura,
brugmansia, salvia, tithonia, gaura, and a ton of other plants, but they do love
nicotiana. Actually, they come from the tobacco horn worm, which are those giant
worms we find on our tomatoes. Tomato horn worms are found on tobacco! I have
no idea this name reversal happened, but it has.

Moth? Hummingbird?
 

On 21 Jul 2003 11:11:53 GMT, (AuralFeast) wrote:

What did I see? In my petunias yesterday morning was a small, maybe two-inch
long moth (at least what I think was a moth), flying like a hummingbird. It
was a very good flyer, with motions much like a dragonfly, and when it entered
a flower for a drink, its wings kept beating just like a hummingbird's. For
the most part, it was brown, with two distinct yellow bands around its body. I
live in Chicago.

The age-old question....a sphinx moth that flies like a hummingbird.
You can get a lot closer to a sphinx moth, though. They also like
butterfly bush.

Dan

Moth? Hummingbird?
 

On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 19:55:34 GMT, animaux
wrote:

On 21 Jul 2003 14:23:42 GMT, (AuralFeast) wrote:

After looking at the pics, I'm pretty sure it was a nessus sphinx moth. It was
wierd for sure, but cool in that it was found in a relatively urban area.

The roost (so to speak) on the outside of our house on the limestone facade.
They are brilliant and beautiful insects. They pollinate our datura,
brugmansia, salvia, tithonia, gaura, and a ton of other plants, but they do love
nicotiana. Actually, they come from the tobacco horn worm, which are those giant
worms we find on our tomatoes. Tomato horn worms are found on tobacco! I have
no idea this name reversal happened, but it has.

Tomato and tobacco aren't all that far apart. But the Tomato
Hornworm is Manduca quinquemaculata, and the tobacco hornworm is
Manduca sexta. [apparenty 5 & 6 of something is what distinguishes
them] Neither becomes the Nessus Spinx, though.
See http://www.ext.colostate.edu/PUBS/INSECT/05517.html for some
pictures. Same family-- but definitely a different moth.


The caterpillar of the Nessus Sphinx Moth eats grapes, ampelopsis &
cayenne according to
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/d...hs/oh/1021.htm

Jim

Moth? Hummingbird?
 

zxcvbob wrote in message ...
AuralFeast wrote:
What did I see? In my petunias yesterday morning was a small, maybe two-inch
long moth (at least what I think was a moth), flying like a hummingbird. It
was a very good flyer, with motions much like a dragonfly, and when it entered
a flower for a drink, its wings kept beating just like a hummingbird's. For
the most part, it was brown, with two distinct yellow bands around its body. I
live in Chicago.

What did I see?

A "hummingbird moth". One of several moths of the family sphingidae. I
saw one a couple of years ago in my flowering tobacco; it was weird.

Yeah, they're freaky! I thought my hummingbirds came back at first.
Here's a pic: http://trfn.clpgh.org/wings/Hummingbird%20moth.jpg

Mary

Best regards,
Bob