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earthstar

~ a celebration of nature

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Tag Archives: Hummingbird hawk-moth

That tongue!

15 Tuesday Aug 2023

Posted by sconzani in insects

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

#MothsMatter, British moths, Hummingbird hawk-moth, moth, Red valerian

In a recent post (Moths matter, 4 August), I included photographs of a stationary Hummingbird hawk-moth that had flown past me before going to ground on the path in front of me. This week, during a walk along the embankment footpath where the River Ely flows in to Cardiff Bay, I watched spellbound as another of these magical moths hovered, feeding from Red valerian flowers, right in front me. I took rather a lot of photos, clicking almost continuously, hoping I was getting some in focus. This, I think, is the best of those images, and one I’m very pleased with. And, yes, that tongue!

230815 hummingbird hawk-moth

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Moths matter

04 Friday Aug 2023

Posted by sconzani in insects

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Tags

#MothsMatter, Autographa gamma, British moths, Burnet companion, Chiasmia clathrata, Euclidia glyphica, Hummingbird hawk-moth, Large Yellow Underwing, Latticed heath, Macroglossum stellatarum, moth, Noctua pronuba, Silver Y, Six-spot burnet, Zygaena filipendulae

Some recent mothy goodness …

230804 1 Caloptilia semifascia

First, the micro moth Caloptilia semifascia, which I found perched on a leaf during a local meander and which, miraculously, stayed still for some photos.

230804 2 large yellow underwing

I grabbed the rain parka I’d left drying on the back of a chair and this beauty flew up. Either I’d brought it home from the previous day’s walk or it had flown in an open window during the night. Whichever it was, this Large yellow underwing (Noctua pronuba) was a welcome visitor.

230804 3 6-spot burnet

I always enjoy watching the Five- and Six-spot burnets during the summer months. This is one of the latter (Zygaena filipendulae).

230804 4 silver y

Most of the Silver Ys (Autographa gamma) I see are constantly fluttering about in the long grass but these two were much more cooperative.

230804 5 burnet companion

Burnet companions (Euclidia glyphica) are also frequently camera shy but I got lucky with this beauty that was more intent on feeding than on the lurking photographer.

230804 6 humming-bird hawk-moth

Hummingbird hawk-moths (Macroglossum stellatarum) are most often seem hovering in front of flowers, their long tongues seeking out the tasty nectar within, but this one whizzed past during a recent walk then, luckily for me, settled on the path in front of me.

230804 7 latticed heath

This lovely is another summertime treat. Last but certainly not least, a Latticed heath (Chiasmia clathrata).

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About me

sconzani

sconzani

I'm a writer and photographer; researcher and blogger; birder and nature lover; countryside rambler and city strider; volunteer and biodiversity recorder.

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