Species · GBIF taxon 1864652
Hummingbird Hawk-moth
Macroglossum stellatarumAlso known as Hummingbird Moth
Hummingbird hawk-moths are master aerialists that hover effortlessly in front of blossoms, beating their wings up to 80 times per second to create an audible hum. They navigate gardens and meadows during the day, unfurling a remarkably long proboscis to sip nectar from deep, tube-shaped flowers. These highly active insects are also strong migrants, traveling vast distances northward across Europe and Asia each spring.
DiurnalMigratoryPollinator
Licensed reference(c) Smudge 9000, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
- diet
- Nectar
- family
- Sphingidae
- threats
- Habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change affecting migration timing
- life Span
- Up to several months as adults
LC
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
- Plant tubular flowers: Attract them to your garden by planting nectar-rich, tube-shaped blooms like lavender, buddleja, and phlox.
- Watch their eyes: Look closely at their large compound eyes, which appear to follow you due to a pseudopupil effect.
- Listen for the hum: Stand quietly near flower beds on sunny days to hear the distinct, low-pitched hum of their rapid wingbeats.