I had the great fortune to find a few Hummingbird Hawk Moths Macroglossum pyrrhosticta feeding on the Cosmos flowers this weekend.
These swift moths are found worldwide, though this specimen was photographed in Japan. They are a great example of how convergent evolution works: like their namesake the hummingbird, these moths have been shaped by their feeding strategy: feeding on energy rich nectar from flowers. Most flowers produce nectar during the day, cosmos certainly do, so they need to be fast to avoid being eaten by birds and other predators, hovering minimises the time at each flower, a long proboscis to reach the flower is needed as they can't get too close or the wings will hit the blossom.
They even have a kind of flared tail that they position to help with flight control:
When not flying, this moth folds its wings and arches the abdomen, like magic it now appears as a dry crumpled leaf, and yes, this is the same species!
This one was overwintering on what I assume it though was some tree bark, rather than peeling paint. I later gently relocated it to a tree upon which it was much better camouflaged.
It's quite remarkable that a bird and an insect, very different forms of animal life and through different ancestries have arrived at such a similar body shape and feeding strategy!
I hope you've enjoyed the post and are having a good day!
¡This was awesome! Loved both the photos and the detailed info about this moth. It totally fooled me, at first glance I thought it was a hummingbird.
Thank you! They do look so very much alike!
I saw this one once or twice. They are pretty amazing in how they move.
Never saw it sitting though (or didn't notice).
Yes, really acrobatic! And they are very difficult to notice when resting, unless, as the one I spotted are sitting on a blank white wall exactly the way leaves don't. :)
Wow! These are some incredible shots of an insect i didn't know existed. I am shocked i didn't know about this... and you have captured it so well. It looks majestic in flight and super incognito in it's leaf form. Wow. Super cool post and awesome photography! Thanks for sharing with us.
They are often mistaken for bees, as they are about the same size and rather fast too. You've probably seen one and not realized it!
If i have ever seen one and not recognized it... it would have had to be in leaf stealth mode. I love bugs and macro so it would be hard to miss that beauty! =)
Well, they or their relatives at least do live in Sweden, it's likely too late in the season to spot any though. They like places with lots of flowers, it's why a patch of cosmos blossoms near my house is one of my favourite places to shoot! Good luck they are quite fast!
Great pictures of mushrooms by the way, fungi are quite fascinating too!
Oh wow!! that transformation is dramatic. To make itself look liked a dried leaf.
fantastic pictures too.
It certainly is! I had the best fortune to see one fly up to and perch on a branch of a rose bush a few years ago: I just happened to be sitting by the window and saw a relatively bright blur, realized it was one of these moths, and then watched it land and disappear‽ I looked closely at the branch and saw a lead where there really shouldn't be one, and it was the moth! Didn't manage to get a picture, it was well protected by the thorns!
You are blessed. Just being in the right place at the right time is the blessing.
Amazing work.
wow great catch
Thank you very much! Thanks for the reblog too! :)
Really nice images, must have taken you a lot of patience
Yes, I spent about an hour photographing these moths, a few bees and a butterfly, should have worn sunscreen!
I'll put the bees up soon.
Need to stay pretty still while they visit each flower and hopefully, come to the flowers near where you are. If they are you as a threat, they're gone!
That’s true