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OT: Photo's of my hummingbird moth

15 years ago

I have these guys show up every year but yesterday was the 1st time that I tried to photograph one of them and with 5 or 6 shots I was lucky enough to come out with these:

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Strouper

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Comments (14)

highalttransplant
15 years ago
Awesome shots, and gorgeous petunias too!

Bonnie
not_a_contessa
15 years ago
Great shots! I can't wait to see them in my gardens again this year, they are so interesting.

Mary
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Keeping the pupae out of the sun, occasionally hydrate it by bathing it in cool water will help. Like Molanic, I often keep mine in the fridge in a Glad container on paper towel and take it out once a month or so to give it a bath. It is essential to keep them somewhat hydrated in order to avoid dessication. When day and night temps are warmer in later spring/early summer, bring them outdoors in a container with air holes and some sticks they can climb onto when they emerge. They have to hang from the sticks for some time to dry and inflate their wings. This is a good time to get photos of them, too. I only get Hemaris diffinus - Snowberry Clearwing, and their favorite food in my yard is my yellow Honeysuckle. I have Japanese purpurea, but have never found them on this. Another excellent host plant to check is Virginia Creeper. Numerous sphinx moths use it as a larval host, like Eumorpha achemon (Achemon sphinx), Eumorpha pandorus (Pandora sphinx), Darapsis myron (Virginia Creeper sphinx), Amphion floridensis (Nessus sphinx), Deidamis inacriptum (Lettered sphinx), Hyles lineata (White-lined sphinx), and Specodina abbottii (Abbott's sphinx), to name a few. I have raised the first 4 named above, and perhaps one day, I'll find a few others. Good luck and have fun! Susan
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strouper2
Original Author
15 years ago
Those are actually million bells bonnie they're volunteers from last year. We had two big pots of them in front of our condo last year and I was about ready to clean them out this spring when I noticed several "weeds" that all looked the same that's when it finally hit me what they probably were so I potted them all up. Well with those seedlings I have filled 2 big pots and a 2x2 area in the ground! I just love getting FREE plants especially something like million bells. As easy as these came up I'm defiantly going to have to try and WS some of them next year.

Strouper
medontdo
15 years ago
very beautifull!!! :') i can't wait to see some of the hummingbirds here. i haven't seen any yet. :'( i absolutely love your flowers, i am trying to grow mine again, this is the second time i'm trying to germinate them, no luck!! !Medo
lolwut
15 years ago
Great photos of a fascinating creature. It looks like a moth in a hummingbird costume. Seeing it sipping from the million bells makes me think of tricker treaters! And I love the second photo because you can see the wings and body so clearly. Moths have always been a favorite insect of mine and I watch for them in my yard but I never seen one as unique as this one.

BTW, how close were you able to get? It seems like a bold little thing, strutting around in broad daylight like that.
tiffy_z5_6_can
15 years ago
Nice shots!! I have them too and they are cute to watch. I have to agree with the shots you got of the wings. What a catch!

lolwut,
With the Sphinx Moth you can stay around a plant that they are flying and feeding about and they generally won't leave unless your moments are sudden. I let them pick the photo opportunity.

I had night visitors last night and this morning woke up to find a Luna Moth next to the door. Haven't seen these guys since I was a teenager. :O)

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lgslgs
15 years ago
That humminbird moth is cool look - half pretty, and half kind of scary!

I love the colors of the flowers. Beautiful photos.

Lynda
strouper2
Original Author
15 years ago
Nice photo tiffy I haven't seen a Luna Moth in years.

lolwut I got really bold on that 1st photo and was probably only about a foot and 1/2 away from him. This one seemed very trusting because usually they won't let you get that close. I'd love to be able to get that close to a hummingbird and every time I find a nice butterfly on a pretty flower I never seem to have my camera available.

Strouper
vera_eastern_wa
15 years ago
Great shots! Strouper, that beauty you have there is a Hemaris thysbe :)

Haven't tried taking pics of mine this year, but they come in droves in early evening and early morning. There faves are the Nicotiana, Petunia, Catmint, Salvia officinalis most year in my garden. Last year was the fist with 4 O'clocks and those became popular choices too :)

This pic was taken in 2004 or 2005 of the White-lined Sphinx Moth on the Nicotiana. Not at all a great pic; camera phones sure have come a long way since LOL!
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proudgm_03
15 years ago
Wow! Great pictures. I have never seen a hummingbird moth before. They are awesome!
bakemom_gw
15 years ago
So beautiful. I was out today admiring my garden visitors. BTW, I don't think this is off topic at all. No need to disclaim.
strouper2
Original Author
15 years ago
proudgm when you 1st see one of these little creatures you have to immediately run to your computer to see if you can find out what it is. I have to say that the name fits because when I first looked one up on the internet I put in hummingbird moth little did I know that's what it's really called. LOL

Strouper
kqcrna
15 years ago
Very cool. I've never seen a luna moth before, even in pictures.

I saw my first ever hummingbird moth in my yard last year. None yet this year.
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Karen
PVick
15 years ago
Gorgeous, gorgeous photos!

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