Hummingbird Hawk-Moth
Hummingbird Hawk-Moth Facts
| Size | 1.6-1.8 inches (40-45 mm) |
| Speed | 12 mph (19 km/h) |
| Weight | 0.01 ounces (0.3 grams) |
| Lifespan | 7 months |
| Food | Nectar |
| Predators | Birds, bats |
| Distribution | Europe, Asia, North Africa |
| Habitat | Gardens, parks, meadows, forests |
| Order | Butterflies |
| Family | Sphinx moths |
| Scientific name | Macroglossum stellatarum |
| Characteristics | Butterfly that resembles a hummingbird |
Main Characteristics
The hummingbird hawk-moth is a butterfly that is often mistaken for a hummingbird – because it has a long proboscis and drinks nectar from flower cups while hovering in place.
Species
Hummingbird hawk-moths are part of the sphinx moth family with about 1,200 species. In America, the most common are the poplar hawk-moth, elephant hawk-moth, white-lined sphinx, snowberry clearwing and hummingbird clearwing. Included among the sphinx moth family is the Morgan's sphinx moth, which has the longest tongue of any insect: it can reach up to 11.2 inches (28.5 cm), while its body measures only up to 2.5 inches (6.5 cm)!
Distribution and Habitat
All Over the World
Hummingbird hawk-moths are found throughout Europe, Asia, and North Africa. They are also present in the USA, particularly in states like Texas, Florida, California, Michigan, and Utah. They have even been spotted in Alaska, Newfoundland, and Canada. Their habitats include gardens, parks, meadows, and forests that boast a wide variety of flowers producing abundant nectar.
In Germany
Where in Germany can you find hummingbird hawk-moths? Oh, how wonderful it would be to see one! There aren't any specific federal states or locations where they are particularly common. They can be found all over Germany, from the north to North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria. However, they only appear in areas with nectar-rich flowers. This means you should seek out such places or create them yourself by planting flowers like honeysuckle and red valerian.
Way of Life
Hummingbird hawk-moths, unlike many other moths, are not nocturnal but rather diurnal. This is great because it makes them easier to observe. They flit about in search of nectar and hover in place while sipping it - just like tiny hummingbirds. They can even fly backwards!
Anatomy and Appearance
Size and Weight
Hummingbird hawk-moths have a body length of 1.6-1.8 inches (40-45 mm) and a wingspan of 1.4-2.7 inches (36-70 mm). They weigh approximately 0.01 ounces (0.3 grams).
Colors
Hummingbird hawk-moths have gray-brown forewings. Their slightly smaller hindwings are colored orange-brown.
Proboscis
Hummingbird hawk-moths possess a long proboscis that measures 0.9-1.1 inches (25-28 mm). This gives them an advantage over other insects, as they can access deeper flower corollas. When they don't need their proboscis, they simply roll it up.
Tail
At the end of their abdomen, they have a fan-tail made of long brown-black hair-like structures. They resemble the tail feathers of pigeons. This is why the animal is called „pigeontail“ in Germany ("Taubenschwänzchen").
Caterpillars
The caterpillars grow to a length of 1.8-1.9 inches (45-50 mm) and are usually green. However, they can also be brown, reddish-brown, or gray-violet.
Hummingbird Hawk-Moth or Hummingbird – What’s the Difference?
At first glance, hummingbird hawk-moths are often mistaken for birds, particularly hummingbirds. In Germany, their appearance usually creates excitement, as everybody knows that hummingbirds are only found in America. The reason for this confusion is quite simple: Hummingbird hawk-moths can hover in place, they change direction while flying with lightning speed, and they sip nectar from flower cups. These traits are also characteristic of hummingbirds. Additionally, there are hummingbirds that are only slightly larger than hummingbird hawk-moths. Nonetheless: Hummingbird moths are butterflies with a proboscis, while hummingbirds are birds with a beak.
Hummingbird Hawk-Moth or Hummingbird Moth – What’s the Difference?
The hummingbird hawk-moth has a doppelgänger: the hummingbird-moth. Yes, their names are quite similar and are really easy to confuse. What makes it even worse is that they look strikingly similar. They share the same size, body shape, a long proboscis, and similar wings. Both species belong to the sphinx moth family, yet they are different genera. The hummingbird hawk-moth belongs to the Macroglossum genera, while the hummingbird moth belongs to the Hemaris genera. The most noticeable difference is that hummingbird moths have partially transparent wings. Additionally, they tend to be olive green, while hummingbird hawk-moths are more brown-orange. While the hummingbird hawk-moth is quite rare in the USA, the hummingbird moth is very common in both North and South America.
Diet
Hummingbird hawk-moths are herbivores. They feed on flower nectar. For instance, they particularly enjoy red foxglove and willowherb. They can visit up to 100 flowers in a single minute. Depending on the type of plant, they need to visit between 500 and 5,000 flowers each day to feel full. The caterpillars mainly prefer bedstraw, sorrel, starwort, spurred gentian, and willowherb.
Behavior
Hibernation
Hummingbird hawk-moths are the only species of sphinx moths that can hibernate. However, this is only possible in frost-free areas. They rarely hibernate in Northern Europe, such as Germany or the UK. Instead, they favor the warmer southern regions of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Hummingbird hawk-moths living in Alaska, Newfoundland, and Canada hibernate in Texas, Florida, California, Michigan, and Utah.
Migration
The majority of hummingbird hawk-moths seen in Europe come from their winter habitats in the south. They return to Germany at the end of April and stay until early September. After that, they set off again towards the warm, frost-free south.
Flight Sounds
Hummingbird hawk-moths produce a buzzing sound while flying, quite similar to that of hummingbirds.
Are Hummingbird Hawk-Moths Dangerous?
Hummingbird hawk-moths are neither toxic nor dangerous. They cannot sting or bite. They are completely harmless.
Senses and Abilities
Flying
Hummingbird hawk-moths are renowned for their exceptional flying skills. They can sip nectar while in flight, hover in place, change direction in a flash, swing-hover, side-slip, and even fly backwards. The long scales on their abdomen act like a rudder and are particularly crucial for their aerial maneuvers.
Wing Beats
They flap their wings 70-80 times per second. This speed is so rapid that the human eye cannot perceive the individual wing beats.
Sense of Sight
Hummingbird hawk-moths rely on their vision when inserting their beak into a flower to drink nectar. They keep an eye on where their beak is positioned and accurately guide it into the bloom.
When to Observe Hummingbird Hawk-Moths?
The caterpillars of hummingbird hawk-moths can be seen between June and October. The adult butterflies are typically most easily seen from end of April to September.
How to Attract Hummingbird Hawk-Moths to Your Garden
It's quite easy to attract hummingbird hawk-moths. You just need to plant the right flowers. You don't even need a garden for this; it can work on a balcony too. Hummingbird hawk-moths are fond of flowers that have long, tubular blossoms. This includes plants like bedstraw, honeysuckles, willowherbs, clover, verbena, alfalfa, echium, geraniums, and valerians. For balcony plants, primroses, jasmine, violets, petunias, geraniums, butterfly bush, fuchsias, and phlox are great options.
Life Expectancy
Hummingbird hawk-moths can live for up to 7 months.
Enemies and Threats
Fortunately, hummingbird hawk-moths are not endangered. They are also not rare. In fact, they are quite common in areas where many nectar-rich flowers bloom.
Importance for the Ecosystem
Hummingbird hawk-moths are not only beautiful, but they are also incredibly useful. They pollinate a wide range of wildflowers by collecting and spreading pollen while sipping nectar from the blossoms. They play a crucial role in nature by helping to maintain biodiversity.
Reproduction
Life Cycle
Hummingbird hawk-moths mate in the spring and lay up to 200 eggs in March, favoring the undersides of cleavers. Each egg is deposited individually on different leaves. The larvae emerge from the eggs after 6-8 days. Initially, the newly hatched caterpillars are yellow, but they later turn green. They feed on the leaves of the cleavers for about 20 days before pupating. After 2-3 weeks, the adult butterfly emerges. The entire process from egg to butterfly takes approximately 40-50 days.
Duration of development/phase:
- Egg: 6-8 days
- Caterpillar: 20 days
- Pupae: 2-3 weeks
- Adult animal: 7 months
The Hummingbird Hawk-Moth Is Related To:
- Oleander Hawk-Moth
- Elephant Hawk-Moth
- Broad-Bordered Bee Hawk-Moth
Animals in the Same Biome:
- Bumblebee
- Common Blackbird
- Common Chaffinch
- Honey Bee
- Eurasian Jay
- European Hare
- Great Tit
- Microbat
- Rabbit
- Sparrow
- Wasp
Sources:
- "Visual position stabilization in the hummingbird hawk moth, Macroglossum stellatarum L. I. Behavioural analysis" (https://link.springer.com)
- "Visual guidance fine-tunes probing movements of an insect appendage" (https://www.pnas.org)
- "Den Rüssel stets im Blick behalten" (https://www.uni-konstanz.de)
- "Longest Insect Tongue" (https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com)
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