Hummingbird Hawk Moth

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Elaine
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Joined: Sun Feb 01, 2009 3:40 am
Location: Hull, East Yorkshire.

Hello folks. Last Sunday, I was absolutely thrilled (and gobsmacked) to find a Hummingbird Hawk Moth feeding on my buddleia. :D :D :D It stayed for about 4 minutes. :D :D :D

I was itching to see it close up but daren't go closer in case I spooked it... so I grabbed my binoculars and was amazed by the beauty of this creature. It was so lovely and I feel so chuffed that it visited my garden. I was so fazed, it never occurred to me to try and take a photo....but then, I would have missed watching it if I had gone in to get the camera, whereas my bins are never far out of quick grabbing range! My camera is now also in easy reach.

I didn't think Hummingbird Hawk Moths came this far North, but there have been a few sightings.. according to some of my buddies on the Springwatch site, a couple in Lincoln. The Butterfly Conservation society are asking for records of sightings, so I duly submitted mine with a smug grin on my face!

Unfortunately, I haven't seen it again, despite spending far more time in the garden than I should....my ironing pile is enormous. :(
Cheers.
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Nature's Babe
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Joined: Tue Nov 03, 2009 6:02 pm
Location: East Sussex

Hi Elaine, yes they are beauItiful, I live in the south east, and like you I have only had one sighting last month, none since.
Sit down before a fact as a little child, be prepared to give up every preconcieved notion, follow humbly wherever and to whatever abyss nature leads, or you shall learn nothing.
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Elaine
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Joined: Sun Feb 01, 2009 3:40 am
Location: Hull, East Yorkshire.

A week later and I'm still "buzzing" as they say today!
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Clive.
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A visitor spotted one around the gardens at work a week last Wednesday...and I sighted one the next day and have seen at least one most days since feeding on Lavenders and Catmints. :)

Clive.
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Nature's Babe
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Joined: Tue Nov 03, 2009 6:02 pm
Location: East Sussex

Ah, I saw ir near my lavender, but it was on a climbing rose. :)
Sit down before a fact as a little child, be prepared to give up every preconcieved notion, follow humbly wherever and to whatever abyss nature leads, or you shall learn nothing.
By Thomas Huxley
http://www.wildrye.info/reserve/
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Monika
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Joined: Thu Jul 06, 2006 8:13 pm
Location: Yorkshire Dales

It's a good year for hummingbird hawkmoths, it seems. We have had a few around, especially on red valerian. Until about 10 years ago, we had never seen any up here but since then, they appear almost every year, sometimes just a singleton, sometimes a few.
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