Two Hawk-moths!

[goosey]

I am a happy bunny!
This weekend I have had three Hawk-moths visit the garden. Not the largest of the Hawk-moths but very impressive all the same.

Last night it was almost dark when I saw two Small Elephant Hawk-moths (Deilephila porcellus) arrive and start feeding on the honeysuckle.
They were in the garden about 15 minutes but I struggled to get decent images as most of the time they were high up and even though I got the ladders I have so many pots there was no room to place them.

This is the second year I have seen them in the garden, the one last year was also feeding on honeysuckle.

This is the best piccie anyway.




Then today at lunch time there was a Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth (Hemaris fuciformis) feeding on the Lobelia, a first for the garden. I had to rush in to get the camera and change the setting but luckily it stayed round long enough for 4 photo's before it was gone.
There have been so many bees in the garden of loads of types and sizes over the last couple of days and it would be easy to ignore this moth as a large bee. I just love that they have clear wings.

[Pudding4brains]

Hi Goosey,

Lucky you, gorgeous moths I never seem to see any Hawk-moths flying about, except for Macroglossum in France. The only changes I've had for photographing any were after finding pupae and inviting those home for the winter

Not too many images of Sphingidae in the gallery ... I'll see if I can dig some up later.

Cheers, Arp

[reninfrance]

First Hummingbird Hawkmoth -Macroglossum stellatarum - here today gorgeing on pinks by the path. Some years we see them much earlier but last winter was too cold for any over -winterers to survive.
Typically no picture as camera batteries on charge.
Love to see them though.
ren

[goosey]

Originally Posted by Pudding4brains

Hi Goosey,

Lucky you, gorgeous moths I never seem to see any Hawk-moths flying about, except for Macroglossum in France. The only changes I've had for photographing any were after finding pupae and inviting those home for the winter

Not too many images of Sphingidae in the gallery ... I'll see if I can dig some up later.

Cheers, Arp

That would be great Arp if you would find any images for the gallery .

Did your pupae survive? I would love to try and would be very tempted if I found a larva or pupae to see if I could rear it.

Originally Posted by reninfrance

First Hummingbird Hawkmoth -Macroglossum stellatarum - here today gorgeing on pinks by the path. Some years we see them much earlier but last winter was too cold for any over -winterers to survive.
Typically no picture as camera batteries on charge.
Love to see them though.
ren

Better luck tomorrow Ren, try the same time - I found that one year a couple came back the same rime 3 days in a row. I took hundreds of picture over those days and only manage 2 half decent one - they are very difficult subjects!


I have been out mothing tonight and the 2 small elephat hawk moths returned but only for a few minutes, but what I was excited and so frustrated about was at dusk we had 2 other hawk moths right at the top of the honeysuckle. I got the ladders positioned the best I could all ready tonight but even stood on the top I wasn't close enough. I got a couple of shots of it's stomach from the distant side of the flower but haven't had chance to see the pictures yet ot try yo ID them.