I have just been watching a hummingbird hawk moth feeding on the bright red
flowers on my pelagoniums
just beside me on the patio. It went from flower to flower putting its
incredibly long proboscis right into
the flower to feed off the nectar and then moving very quickly to the next
plant.
I have never seen anything like it here in UK.
It was a very sunny afternoon in Cheshire - is this yet another example of
climate change or is this not as rare
as I thought.
There is a short video of the moth in action on
http://people.freenet.de/jfeldhusen/..._Hawk_Moth.htm

I hope this is not considered off topic but would like to hear if this was a
rare sighting.

Brian

In article , brimon
writes
I have just been watching a hummingbird hawk moth feeding on the bright red
flowers on my pelagoniums
just beside me on the patio. It went from flower to flower putting its
incredibly long proboscis right into
the flower to feed off the nectar and then moving very quickly to the next
plant.
I have never seen anything like it here in UK.
It was a very sunny afternoon in Cheshire - is this yet another example of
climate change or is this not as rare
as I thought.
There is a short video of the moth in action on
http://people.freenet.de/jfeldhusen/..._Hawk_Moth.htm

I hope this is not considered off topic but would like to hear if this was a
rare sighting.

They are a migrant from across the Channel and turn up every year, but
like other such moths and butterflies, in varying numbers. There has
been a lot of publicity recently (even made the R4 Today programme)
about an invasion of Painted Lady butterflies in the last few weeks. If
they are moving in numbers, one would expect other species to come with
them. There was quite an invasion of the hawk moths in 2000, with plenty
of records from Scotland.

It is probably a bit early to invoke climate change. One of the
largest-ever invasions of Hummingbird Hawk Moths was in 1947 - notable
for being a marvellous summer (after an appalling winter), but before
the term 'climate change' had been invented, I suspect.

The driving force will probably be large numbers being bred in their
natural range in the southern half of France, coupled with good
migrating weather with southerly winds.

--
Malcolm

"brimon" wrote in message
...
I have just been watching a hummingbird hawk moth feeding on the bright
red
flowers on my pelagoniums
just beside me on the patio. It went from flower to flower putting its
incredibly long proboscis right into
the flower to feed off the nectar and then moving very quickly to the next
plant.
I have never seen anything like it here in UK.
It was a very sunny afternoon in Cheshire - is this yet another example of
climate change or is this not as rare
as I thought.
There is a short video of the moth in action on
http://people.freenet.de/jfeldhusen/..._Hawk_Moth.htm

I hope this is not considered off topic but would like to hear if this was
a
rare sighting.

Brian

Snap! I was watching one of these insects late this afternoon feeding on red
valerien, I have never seen one either, quite amazing to watch. By
coincidence it was this same plant that I saw a Painted Lady butterfly on
earlier this week.

Tom

brimon said:

I have just been watching a hummingbird hawk moth feeding on the bright red
flowers on my pelagoniums
just beside me on the patio. It went from flower to flower putting its
incredibly long proboscis right into
the flower to feed off the nectar and then moving very quickly to the next
plant.
I have never seen anything like it here in UK.
It was a very sunny afternoon in Cheshire - is this yet another example of
climate change or is this not as rare
as I thought.
There is a short video of the moth in action on
http://people.freenet.de/jfeldhusen/..._Hawk_Moth.htm

I hope this is not considered off topic but would like to hear if this was a
rare sighting.

Brian

Yup - we had one yesterday up here in Wigan - lovely sight, hovering in and
out of the geraniums and pelagoniums. Saw one in 2000 as well, but none at
any other time in 15 years up here...
The wife thought it was a small bird at first, then she ran in and declared
we had "killer bees" invading the Patio.. LOL
--
You can't have it all -
Where would you put it ?

On Sun, 15 Jun 2003 18:26:53 +0100, brimon wrote:

I have just been watching a hummingbird hawk moth feeding on the bright
red
flowers on my pelagoniums
just beside me on the patio. It went from flower to flower putting its
incredibly long proboscis right into
the flower to feed off the nectar and then moving very quickly to the
next
plant.
I have never seen anything like it here in UK.
It was a very sunny afternoon in Cheshire - is this yet another example
of
climate change or is this not as rare
as I thought.
There is a short video of the moth in action on
http://people.freenet.de/jfeldhusen/..._Hawk_Moth.htm

I hope this is not considered off topic but would like to hear if this
was a
rare sighting.

Where I live in Austria they are uncommon but can be seen in the right
places. This year there are loads buzzing about the flowers. It does seem
to be a bumper year. The late spring, followed by a very early summer might
have been the reason. I'm sure that there would be a lot more in other
places too. They pupate in the topsoil. Tim.

"Malcolm" wrote in message
...

In article , brimon
writes
I have just been watching a hummingbird hawk moth feeding on the bright
red
flowers on my pelagoniums
just beside me on the patio. It went from flower to flower putting its
incredibly long proboscis right into
the flower to feed off the nectar and then moving very quickly to the
next
plant.
I have never seen anything like it here in UK.
It was a very sunny afternoon in Cheshire - is this yet another example
of
climate change or is this not as rare
as I thought.
There is a short video of the moth in action on
http://people.freenet.de/jfeldhusen/..._Hawk_Moth.htm

I hope this is not considered off topic but would like to hear if this
was a
rare sighting.

They are a migrant from across the Channel and turn up every year, but
like other such moths and butterflies, in varying numbers. There has
been a lot of publicity recently (even made the R4 Today programme)
about an invasion of Painted Lady butterflies in the last few weeks. If
they are moving in numbers, one would expect other species to come with
them. There was quite an invasion of the hawk moths in 2000, with plenty
of records from Scotland.

It is probably a bit early to invoke climate change. One of the
largest-ever invasions of Hummingbird Hawk Moths was in 1947 - notable
for being a marvellous summer (after an appalling winter), but before
the term 'climate change' had been invented, I suspect.

It fascinates me sometimes, when we get "The worst storms for 100 years" and
it's all down to climate change, so what caused the worst storms 100 years
ago ?
Duncan


The driving force will probably be large numbers being bred in their
natural range in the southern half of France, coupled with good
migrating weather with southerly winds.

--
Malcolm

On Mon, 16 Jun 2003 09:25:48 +0100, Druss wrote:


It fascinates me sometimes, when we get "The worst storms for 100 years"
and it's all down to climate change, so what caused the worst storms 100
years ago ?
Duncan

Yes, and it also implies that the storms 100 years ago were worse.
Tim.

"brimon" wrote in message
...
I have just been watching a hummingbird hawk moth feeding on the bright
red
flowers on my pelagoniums
just beside me on the patio. It went from flower to flower putting its
incredibly long proboscis right into
the flower to feed off the nectar and then moving very quickly to the next
plant.
I have never seen anything like it here in UK.
It was a very sunny afternoon in Cheshire - is this yet another example of
climate change or is this not as rare
as I thought.
There is a short video of the moth in action on
http://people.freenet.de/jfeldhusen/..._Hawk_Moth.htm

I hope this is not considered off topic but would like to hear if this was
a
rare sighting.


Nope, it isn't that rare, these are regular visitors.

"brimon" wrote in message
...
I have just been watching a hummingbird hawk moth feeding on the bright
red
flowers on my pelagoniums
just beside me on the patio. It went from flower to flower putting its
incredibly long proboscis right into
the flower to feed off the nectar and then moving very quickly to the next
plant.
I have never seen anything like it here in UK.
It was a very sunny afternoon in Cheshire - is this yet another example of
climate change or is this not as rare
as I thought.
There is a short video of the moth in action on
http://people.freenet.de/jfeldhusen/..._Hawk_Moth.htm

I hope this is not considered off topic but would like to hear if this was
a
rare sighting.

Brian

Thanks for all your replies and interest.
Seems it was not that rare but enough to provoke interest.
I found the aerodynamics of the thing fascinating - how it could hover
completely stationary and then zoom off at an incredible speed.
Also seems to be attracted to red from the reports received.

Brian

On Tue, 17 Jun 2003 13:31:59 +0100, brimon wrote:


"brimon" wrote in message
...
I have just been watching a hummingbird hawk moth feeding on the bright
red
flowers on my pelagoniums
just beside me on the patio. It went from flower to flower putting its
incredibly long proboscis right into
the flower to feed off the nectar and then moving very quickly to the
next
plant.
I have never seen anything like it here in UK.
It was a very sunny afternoon in Cheshire - is this yet another example
of
climate change or is this not as rare
as I thought.
There is a short video of the moth in action on
http://people.freenet.de/jfeldhusen/..._Hawk_Moth.htm

I hope this is not considered off topic but would like to hear if this
was
a
rare sighting.

Brian

Thanks for all your replies and interest.
Seems it was not that rare but enough to provoke interest.
I found the aerodynamics of the thing fascinating - how it could hover
completely stationary and then zoom off at an incredible speed.
Also seems to be attracted to red from the reports received.

Brian

They love the blue flowers of catmint. Ours were all over the plant untily
we trimmed it, then and only then were they interested in the lavender and
other flowers in the garden. There's also the bumble-bee moths that looks
similar and have transparent windows in their wings. Also worth keeping an
eye out for.

Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth [Hemaris fuciformis]
http://cgi.ukmoths.force9.co.uk/show.php?bf=1983

and Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth [Hemaris tityus]
http://cgi.ukmoths.force9.co.uk/show.php?bf=1982


Tim.