Inflight refuelling

[puddleshark]

Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum). A migrant to the UK from southern Europe and northern Africa. I've caught glimpses of one a few times before, but today, at Holme Gardens, they were everywhere! Hovering above the Sedum and the Salvia. Magical!

A small consolation, at the end of what has been a disastrous summer for butterflies.

Comments

[bleodswean]

Wow! I really like the way your eye sees light!

[puddleshark]

Thank you!

But these were all chance shots. Hummingbird Hawk-moths don't half whizz around - far too fast for the auto-focus on my camera!

[nikonf3]

This is really beautiful. Are they as zippy and feisty as our little birds? :-)

[puddleshark]

Thank you!

I've never seen a hummingbird in real life. But from the footage I've seen, these moths really are like little hummingbirds. They zip about between the flowers at incredible speed.