A wonderful Hummingbird Hawkmoth visited the Buddleia today so it was a real red-letter day! Not only that, this fast and very hard to photograph day-flying moth stayed long enough to get a few photo’s. This great moth, which hovers on rapid-beating wings and feeds through an extraordinarily long proboscis, on long-tubed flowers, migrates here from Africa each year! The Hummingbird Hawkmoth is spreading its range all over the UK and, due to climate change, it even overwinters occasionally now, hiding in crevices. If you spot one of these wonderful moths, go on the Butterfly Conservation site and log the sighting. Conditions: A warm, still, autumnal day of sun and cloud. Temperature: Max 16- Min 8c.
The Hummingbird Hawkmoth hovering, showing its burnished orange wings
This moth hovers while feeding through its extra long proboscis
It feeds on flowers with long tubes, like Buddleia, Nicotiana and Vipers Bugloss
Between feeds the moth curls its proboscis
This shows its proboscis, poised to enter a Buddleia flower, and its black and white checkered body.
