Hummingbird moth

[rf2]

I was watering the in-laws' flower garden last night (Ottawa), and I saw this freaky insect. At first I thought it was a hummingbird, but as I took a closer look, it became clear that it was an insect. It was pretty big, but smaller than a hummingbird, and it hovered by the flowers it was feeding at, just like a hummingbird would. I had never seen anything like it before.

Anyway, I looked it up, and it is called a hummingbird moth. Apparently they are pretty common? Have you folks seen them very often?

On a related note, I've been seeing a surprising number of hummingbirds at my cottage in the Lanark Highlands. I say surprising because the cottage is in the middle of the woods - there doesn't seem to be much for the birds to feed on there. I doubt that the few cottages around there have hummingbird feeders given that they would probably be destroyed by squirrels or other animals, and the cottagers don't seem to be there frequently enough to keep the feeders properly stocked. Maybe I should put one out, since these birds are so interesting to look at?

[rick_iles]

I have seen them around here, mostly in the evening.

[Sharon]

I've never seen a hummingbird moth. Would love to see one.

[Fisherman]

We have had them a couple times each year, thing to watch they seem to fly more clumsy than a hummingbird.

[rf2]

I've never seen a hummingbird moth. Would love to see one.

After realizing it was an insect, my thought was "man, you are one freaking ugly bug". Still interesting to see though.

[Rodbender]

I was watering the in-laws' flower garden last night (Ottawa), and I saw this freaky insect. At first I thought it was a hummingbird, but as I took a closer look, it became clear that it was an insect. It was pretty big, but smaller than a hummingbird, and it hovered by the flowers it was feeding at, just like a hummingbird would. I had never seen anything like it before.

Anyway, I looked it up, and it is called a hummingbird moth. Apparently they are pretty common? Have you folks seen them very often?

On a related note, I've been seeing a surprising number of hummingbirds at my cottage in the Lanark Highlands. I say surprising because the cottage is in the middle of the woods - there doesn't seem to be much for the birds to feed on there. I doubt that the few cottages around there have hummingbird feeders given that they would probably be destroyed by squirrels or other animals, and the cottagers don't seem to be there frequently enough to keep the feeders properly stocked. Maybe I should put one out, since these birds are so interesting to look at?

Check out the Photo section because of your post I went in my backyard today to take some pics of one

[rf2]

Check out the Photo section because of your post I went in my backyard today to take some pics of one

Nice pictures. Do you see them that often that you can take photos of them whenever you want to?

[Sharon]

Check out the Photo section because of your post I went in my backyard today to take some pics of one

Thank you very much. I've missed your pics.