I have always adored hummingbird hawk moths. I think I’ve told you before that I was deeply interested in lepidopteran is from an incredibly early age, something like four or five. And when I say interested, I mean , in an actual scientific capacity. I owned several incredibly high quality field guides to lepidopterans of the world in all stages of their development, and I would perform surveys of the local f fields, in which I would catalogue butterflies and moths by species and number thereof. I would also record upon which plants I would find them and their larvae. Anyway, my father, who was a graduate student at the time, earning his doctorate in biochemistry, would accompany me upon my excursions when he was able. It wasn’t long before my interest had begun to rub off a bit onto him. He fairly soon had his own favourite species of both butterflies and moths, and the hummingbird hawk moth was one of them. He called them, “Clearwing elephant moths“, which would make me laugh - a reference to both their prodigious probosces and their bodies’ impressive girth. Several years later, when we had moved out of our Brownstone and into our first family home, we planted our gardens with enormous amounts of the plant whose common name is, succinctly enough, the “butterfly bush”. We had moved to a marginally warmer climate, and the number of Clearwing hawk moths was far larger in our new environment. On a sunny day in May or June, it would not be uncommon to see six or seven clear wings simultaneously feeding from our butterfly bush. Edit: I would rarely do this, as your expertise leaves, very little wanting, however, the data on the distribution of Clearwing hawk moths in North America is highly inaccurate. I can tell you from experience that there have been large populations of Clearwing hawk moth in North Carolina and southward since at least 1989. I cannot speak for the years before that, as I had not yet moved to the region. Between my birth in 1982 and 1989, my time was split between Manchester England, and southeast Pennsylvania in the USA.
I can't beleive that it is possible to keep and breed them, this is amazing. I am from Morocco (they are native here, year round). I saw them before but briefly since they are super fast, but unmistakable.
It's important to protect them from direct sunlight, I notice placing the cage outdoors can overheat them sometimes. But with many nectar sources and space it is possible.
I realize you said this 6 months ago, but you mentioned these guys could only be spotted in California, USA. Well, for the past 10+ years, here in south central Florida (along the east coast) I've seen an abundance of Hummingbird Hawk Moths appear at the same time each year. There appearance coinsides when the native African plant, yet grows extremely well with no maintenance needed (here in my area of Florida) generically called - the 'Corn Plant'. Not corn the grain but rather the intensely frangrant blooming tree like plant (approximately 13+ feet) Dracaena fragrant. Probably the most fragrant, early evening into nighttime, flower stalks that grow in many bunches up and down each plant/tree. Clusters of white smallish flowers that attract bees, wasps, during sunlight hours just before the flowers start to open. Once the sun dips below the Western horizon...leaving barely a blue tinge to the sky...always during late fall...thd Hummingbird Hawk Moths appear in droves and droves, a mysterious spectacular sight, (like where did the come from all of a sudden). Obviously attracted by the sweet smelling flowers, they know a sweet treat awaits them like a variable buffet. To be honest, I know where they get the name, in 2010 when I first saw them, I literally thought they were Hummingbirds. Living in Florida we only have one Hummingbird, the ruby throated Hummingbird. At the time I never seen one before. So I ran inside, grabbed my Canon Rebel EOS (good camera). Thankfully they were still fluttering around. I thought they were Hummingbirds because they were hovering in place, flying backwards, etc. SO naively I was in awe and simply kept shooting pictures. When they all moved off, I assume to another area of the house with more corn plants. I went inside to look at these photos. It didn't take but a few frames until I saw RED EYES. Then I was like, "Omg, they are moths of some sort". I simply googled, "moths that act like Hummingbirds" and voilà...thr search hit immediately...'Hummingbird hawk moths'. Just wanted to let you know, as a fan and someone who both loves your UA-cam contributions and your diligence as an entomologist. Just know they are here in Florida, USA. Hey, write me back and let me know if you've heard of the moths in Florida. BTW - I've learned A LOT from your channel. ALL MY BEST JAMES -
I have had the pleasure of seeing one here in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales. UK. I just couldn't believe my eyes. At first, it looked like a flying fish. Then a hummingbird.
I live in california and I find these small humming bird moths called white lined sphinx moths which are very common around our area and there is this house every time we walk by at the evening with these white flowers and almost every evening you can find these cute humming bird moths along with other common species
That's wonderful! I remember when i was a teenager looking for moths and I saw a tiny moth that went from flower to flower and it was really fast! I wasked around thr neighborhood what it could be. One of them said it could have been a hornet moth. While this moth is not the same species, it's so much fun watching this moth. I never knew this moth hibernated as an adult. Same goes with The Herald Moth and Canadian petrophila moth, and others im sure :D love the video Bart Coppens! 🦋
I absolutely luve macroglossum stellatarum. The other day One entered the room in conservatoir when my singing teacher and a collegue of mine was having class. It was very hungry and poor baby It was tring to engage with colors of the paintings to the walls hoping they could be flowers ... I didn't know It was able to hybernate as moth since I live in a frost free area of Italy in southern Lazio.
Four species of sphinx moths in North America are called hummingbird moths. Perhaps the best known in Georgia is the common clearwing hummingbird moth (Hemaris thysbe) - an enchanting insect with a 2-inch wingspan and typically having a golden olive thorax and a burgundy to black abdomen.
Didn't know that they invasive in America! Nice that you've trying to domesticate them. I saw that moth first time in my life this year in a village of Ukraine. It was flying over Phlox plant till the end of September and there was two different species (one were slightly bigger and I saw it once or twice). They are very attractive to Buddleja plant as most of all moths and butterflies. Thanks for video and your work ❤
I was so looking forward to the breeding of them and how it all works, but never mind. I did laugh a lot at your Patreon page! The descriptions are too funny, I so want to be a Charles Darwin! lol 😀Btw not sure you answered my question on another video asking why youtube demonetised you? They always give a reason why. My advice would be to open a new youtube channel if it's a glitch. If it's something like, you used some adult content words in a kids butterfly video that's still up, then just edit those bits out. (the one where you described caterpillars are women's genitalia, probably not the wisest decision lol) Anyway there are things you can do, ideally you'd be monetized here AND your patreon page!
Would it be possible to keep some of these in one of those mesh greenhouses measuring 185x95x150cm alongside some native butterflies like swallowtails, black veined whites and map butterflies?
It is very possible! The main issue with 'mothcycles' is the crazy production time. Even 10 episodes per year is hard. It involves filming the progress on a species every 2-3 days for months! I'm working on a few species.
I see these moths all the time where I live in France. Once, one flew into my house and tried to pollinate my paintings!
I've always loved hummingbird moths!!! 😀
These hummingbirds hawkmoths are my childhood ❤
Hummingbird + Moth = Macroglossom stellatarum
hummingbird hawks are amazing, i had one visit my little warwickshire garden a few months ago and seen a fair few hovering around in cornwall
I have always adored hummingbird hawk moths. I think I’ve told you before that I was deeply interested in lepidopteran is from an incredibly early age, something like four or five. And when I say interested, I mean , in an actual scientific capacity. I owned several incredibly high quality field guides to lepidopterans of the world in all stages of their development, and I would perform surveys of the local f fields, in which I would catalogue butterflies and moths by species and number thereof. I would also record upon which plants I would find them and their larvae.
Anyway, my father, who was a graduate student at the time, earning his doctorate in biochemistry, would accompany me upon my excursions when he was able. It wasn’t long before my interest had begun to rub off a bit onto him. He fairly soon had his own favourite species of both butterflies and moths, and the hummingbird hawk moth was one of them. He called them, “Clearwing elephant moths“, which would make me laugh - a reference to both their prodigious probosces and their bodies’ impressive girth.
Several years later, when we had moved out of our Brownstone and into our first family home, we planted our gardens with enormous amounts of the plant whose common name is, succinctly enough, the “butterfly bush”. We had moved to a marginally warmer climate, and the number of Clearwing hawk moths was far larger in our new environment. On a sunny day in May or June, it would not be uncommon to see six or seven clear wings simultaneously feeding from our butterfly bush.
Edit: I would rarely do this, as your expertise leaves, very little wanting, however, the data on the distribution of Clearwing hawk moths in North America is highly inaccurate. I can tell you from experience that there have been large populations of Clearwing hawk moth in North Carolina and southward since at least 1989. I cannot speak for the years before that, as I had not yet moved to the region. Between my birth in 1982 and 1989, my time was split between Manchester England, and southeast Pennsylvania in the USA.
I saw these in the garden center outside at Walmart here in Texas. I had no idea they were invasive!
There are several other species in the U.S.A that superficially resemble this Eurasian species. It's possible that you've seen a native one too.
I can't beleive that it is possible to keep and breed them, this is amazing. I am from Morocco (they are native here, year round). I saw them before but briefly since they are super fast, but unmistakable.
It's important to protect them from direct sunlight, I notice placing the cage outdoors can overheat them sometimes. But with many nectar sources and space it is possible.
I realize you said this 6 months ago, but you mentioned these guys could only be spotted in California, USA. Well, for the past 10+ years, here in south central Florida (along the east coast) I've seen an abundance of Hummingbird Hawk Moths appear at the same time each year.
There appearance coinsides when the native African plant, yet grows extremely well with no maintenance needed (here in my area of Florida) generically called - the 'Corn Plant'.
Not corn the grain but rather the intensely frangrant blooming tree like plant (approximately 13+ feet) Dracaena fragrant. Probably the most fragrant, early evening into nighttime, flower stalks that grow in many bunches up and down each plant/tree. Clusters of white smallish flowers that attract bees, wasps, during sunlight hours just before the flowers start to open.
Once the sun dips below the Western horizon...leaving barely a blue tinge to the sky...always during late fall...thd Hummingbird Hawk Moths appear in droves and droves, a mysterious spectacular sight, (like where did the come from all of a sudden).
Obviously attracted by the sweet smelling flowers, they know a sweet treat awaits them like a variable buffet.
To be honest, I know where they get the name, in 2010 when I first saw them, I literally thought they were Hummingbirds. Living in Florida we only have one Hummingbird, the ruby throated Hummingbird. At the time I never seen one before.
So I ran inside, grabbed my Canon Rebel EOS (good camera). Thankfully they were still fluttering around. I thought they were Hummingbirds because they were hovering in place, flying backwards, etc. SO naively I was in awe and simply kept shooting pictures.
When they all moved off, I assume to another area of the house with more corn plants. I went inside to look at these photos. It didn't take but a few frames until I saw RED EYES. Then I was like, "Omg, they are moths of some sort". I simply googled, "moths that act like Hummingbirds" and voilà...thr search hit immediately...'Hummingbird hawk moths'.
Just wanted to let you know, as a fan and someone who both loves your UA-cam contributions and your diligence as an entomologist.
Just know they are here in Florida, USA. Hey, write me back and let me know if you've heard of the moths in Florida. BTW - I've learned A LOT from your channel.
ALL MY BEST JAMES -
I have them hovering around my trailing Lantana plant. Have spotted them 3 times now. The ones here have stripes on their tails
I have had the pleasure of seeing one here in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales. UK. I just couldn't believe my eyes. At first, it looked like a flying fish. Then a hummingbird.
I live in california and I find these small humming bird moths called white lined sphinx moths which are very common around our area and there is this house every time we walk by at the evening with these white flowers and almost every evening you can find these cute humming bird moths along with other common species
It's important to remember California also has native day flying hawkmoths that look similar indeed :)
That's wonderful! I remember when i was a teenager looking for moths and I saw a tiny moth that went from flower to flower and it was really fast! I wasked around thr neighborhood what it could be. One of them said it could have been a hornet moth. While this moth is not the same species, it's so much fun watching this moth. I never knew this moth hibernated as an adult. Same goes with The Herald Moth and Canadian petrophila moth, and others im sure :D love the video Bart Coppens! 🦋
I absolutely luve macroglossum stellatarum. The other day One entered the room in conservatoir when my singing teacher and a collegue of mine was having class. It was very hungry and poor baby It was tring to engage with colors of the paintings to the walls hoping they could be flowers ... I didn't know It was able to hybernate as moth since I live in a frost free area of Italy in southern Lazio.
Thx dude they are new to me. Very cool a
Four species of sphinx moths in North America are called hummingbird moths. Perhaps the best known in Georgia is the common clearwing hummingbird moth (Hemaris thysbe) - an enchanting insect with a 2-inch wingspan and typically having a golden olive thorax and a burgundy to black abdomen.
I'd love to breed those too.
Saw some here In NC
Didn't know that they invasive in America! Nice that you've trying to domesticate them. I saw that moth first time in my life this year in a village of Ukraine. It was flying over Phlox plant till the end of September and there was two different species (one were slightly bigger and I saw it once or twice). They are very attractive to Buddleja plant as most of all moths and butterflies. Thanks for video and your work ❤
Wild flowers are very important to them!
Wow
These lovely little creatures are in western NY, USA
I was so looking forward to the breeding of them and how it all works, but never mind. I did laugh a lot at your Patreon page! The descriptions are too funny, I so want to be a Charles Darwin! lol 😀Btw not sure you answered my question on another video asking why youtube demonetised you? They always give a reason why. My advice would be to open a new youtube channel if it's a glitch. If it's something like, you used some adult content words in a kids butterfly video that's still up, then just edit those bits out. (the one where you described caterpillars are women's genitalia, probably not the wisest decision lol) Anyway there are things you can do, ideally you'd be monetized here AND your patreon page!
I caught a southern satellite spinx moth in Lebanon
Would it be possible to keep some of these in one of those mesh greenhouses measuring 185x95x150cm alongside some native butterflies like swallowtails, black veined whites and map butterflies?
Very possible I think!
In summer hummingbird hawk moths come
do you think that a mothcycles on deathshead hawkmoths is possible. i have 6 caterpillars growing out rn
It is very possible! The main issue with 'mothcycles' is the crazy production time. Even 10 episodes per year is hard. It involves filming the progress on a species every 2-3 days for months! I'm working on a few species.
I has found wan of this months in my house 😂
Whats the host plant
Galium, Rubia
❤️🌈❤️