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Location

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Date Posted

Lexington, Ky

I've had some kind of moth or bird sucking pollen out of my male flowers. They fly like Hummingbirds but without the wing speed or wing hum. They have a large, thin "beak" with a significant curve in it, almost looks like a wire. They look like a moth but sorta fly like a bird, what the heck are these things?

7/28/2010 3:33:30 PM

Fairport,NY

take a picture and post it?

7/28/2010 4:25:28 PM

Lexington, Ky

Who would of guessed?! They are Hummingbird Sphinx Moths! I think it's a sign.....

7/28/2010 5:52:17 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

That is how they get pollinated...you are lucky Wait until you find one of the catepillars. They are 5 inches long and as round as your finger

7/29/2010 1:13:23 PM

Lexington, Ky

Very hard to photograph! Took about 50 shots to come up with this.....

http://bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=140900

7/29/2010 3:29:08 PM

Fairport,NY

Great Shots!!That is amazing!!!

7/29/2010 4:16:58 PM

Long Island,New York

Did they crash land when the flash blinded them??

7/29/2010 4:20:48 PM

Lexington, Ky

Thanks for the idea Bumkin, I didn't think I could pull it off.

7/29/2010 4:44:28 PM

Pataskala,OH

They come from tomato horn worms.

7/29/2010 9:09:37 PM

Northern California Foothills

They don't come from tomato hornworms.

8/1/2010 11:20:20 AM

Long Island,New York

Nic, Nic, Nic...

8/1/2010 12:19:53 PM

Las Cruces NM

Nice pic! Really nice pic! Yea, Look like the sphinx moths we have here and bet they are just as fast! They also love 4-oclocks!

8/1/2010 10:53:29 PM

Pataskala,OH

Maybe not that type of Spinx moth but there is a spinx moth that is from tomato hornworms. I have proof so ha. lol

http://www.vegedge.umn.edu/vegpest/hornworm.htm

8/2/2010 8:05:54 AM

Navarre,OH

Def from a hornworm. I have caught and raised hornworms from a 1/4" worm all the way to an adult moth before. Many times.
Nic is right.

8/2/2010 4:16:32 PM

Long Island,New York

There are many many species of hornworms...some don't even have horns(the spike tail on the caterpillar). That pic definitely shows a Hawk or Sphinx moth (aka Hummingbird moth in street name)...most likely Manduca quinquemaculas or Manduca sexta sexta but even maybe manduca occulta..to make matters more confusing there are many pattern variations within a species or local populations.......but its neat !!!!

8/2/2010 9:56:35 PM

Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Nice pic 1320.

Anyone can pull scientific names if you have the internet...

Manduca quinquemaculata, not Manduca quinquemaculas IS aka the tomato hornworm.

Both types of moths (tomato and tobacco) are found in Kentucky: http://www.uky.edu/Ag/CritterFiles/casefile/insects/butterflies/sphinx/sphinx.htm

Both feed on similar plants and look similar.

Not likely a manduca occulta, because their range is nowhere near Kentucky: http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=3363

It could be the tomato, it could be the tobacco. It could be the source of a useless argument for those who like to argue for aguments sake...

8/3/2010 11:14:32 AM

Lexington, Ky

My youngest son is convinced that they're bats!

8/3/2010 11:49:09 AM