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A hummingbird hawk moth seen in Chiswell
10 March 2007
10. March 2007
A hummingbird hawk moth was recorded at 11 am in the courtyard garden of the Chesil Gallery in Chiswell. It was seen on a pot of Pericallis senneti, thrusting its long tongue into the stamens in search of nectar, its two pairs of wings beating rapidly, as, like its namesake, it hovered over the flowers.
John said he saw the moth in the Walled Garden on Thursday 8th March raiding the hyacinths !
This beautiful and unique moth is a migrant from Southern Europe. It is a day-flier and has been recorded in recent summers in seaside gardens on the South Coast. It is perhaps a measure of a changing climate in Britain that the hummingbird hawk moth was recorded here, near the Chesil Beach, as early as March. The caterpillar is a brightly coloured green.
Detail of the Hummingbird hawk moth and its rapidly beating wings. The lower part of abdomen has dark markings,probably to warn off predators.