In the garden yesterday I saw what I thought was a little hummingbird. Very small -- maybe 1.5 inches long. It was flying around my impatiens, seeming to suck nectar from each flower. On closer inspection, I saw it wasn't a bird at all, but a bug, with legs and a fanned-out lobster-like tail. I'd never seen one before, so I looked it up, and it's a MOTH -- appropriately named a hummingbird clearwing moth. So, where have you been all of my life?
They are the coolest things. We used to get them around the moon flowers at Gregg's house. I loved sitting on the swing and watching them.
ReplyDeleteDee Dee
I love to watch these...they love Geraniums. Every year we get them in July here in the south of the UK. They hover and dart about, I can watch them for hours given the chance.
ReplyDeletewell, some of them
ReplyDeletehave been over at my house!
these moths liked my impatiens,
pentas, anything blooming bright.
thought they were hummingbirds
but they moved too smoothly,
too curvy...
h-birds rather dart about.
:-)
I saw those for the first time last summer and was fascinated by them. I could get so close, just inches away, and they didn't fly off. I am hoping they return this year!!!
ReplyDeleteLeslis,
ReplyDeleteThat is so cool! I found one years ago in Pa and felt just like you, where do these neat bugs pop up from? I added him to my collection, and you have inspired me to start a new one.
we have had those and...
ReplyDeletehummingbirds galore - they LOVE the bee balm - and Luna our doxie girl barks at them...
well and anything else that moves, or looks different, or - and especially - wears brown shorts and carries brown boxes - now that - requires professional doxie barking
xox - eb.
Thanks for looking that up! I've seen those occasionally around here and thought they were hummingbirds at first too!
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing creature! Excellent photography BTW!
ReplyDelete