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 what is buzzing around my garden?
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Author Garden Gate: Previous Topic what is buzzing around my garden? Next Topic  

danelle
Farmgirl at Heart

7 Posts

Danelle
Delafield WI
USA
7 Posts

Posted - Sep 13 2005 :  6:54:33 PM  Show Profile
I have a mystery creature buzzing around my hummingbird garden and I cannot find it in any book. It looks like a cross between a large bumble bee and a hummingbird. I have lots of hummingbirds but this is to small to be a bird. Any ideas?

CityCat
True Blue Farmgirl

198 Posts

Catherine
Toronto Ontario
Canada
198 Posts

Posted - Sep 13 2005 :  8:15:23 PM  Show Profile
Oh, I'm pretty sure that you have a hummingbird moth.

http://www.birds-n-garden.com/snowberry_clearwing_hummingbird_moths.html

They are awesome aren't they?

Cat
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therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl

4439 Posts

Kay
Vancouver WA
USA
4439 Posts

Posted - Sep 13 2005 :  10:55:32 PM  Show Profile
Oh my gosh -- I've never heard of such a thing -- amazing. Thanks for the link.

"If you are lucky enough to have a garden, you are lucky enough!"
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danelle
Farmgirl at Heart

7 Posts

Danelle
Delafield WI
USA
7 Posts

Posted - Sep 14 2005 :  3:46:36 PM  Show Profile
That's it! Thank you - what fun to come home from work and see this. Great link I put it in my favorites.
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CityCat
True Blue Farmgirl

198 Posts

Catherine
Toronto Ontario
Canada
198 Posts

Posted - Sep 14 2005 :  7:25:19 PM  Show Profile
You're welcome. If you have more insect queries, I'm more than happy to answer them!

Cat
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theherblady
True Blue Farmgirl

510 Posts

Jan
Glasford Illinois
USA
510 Posts

Posted - Sep 15 2005 :  10:45:00 AM  Show Profile
Wow...I've never seen such a thing..Coooool~~I wonder if they are found in specific regions or all over??
Jan
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CityCat
True Blue Farmgirl

198 Posts

Catherine
Toronto Ontario
Canada
198 Posts

Posted - Sep 15 2005 :  4:28:44 PM  Show Profile
Hummingbird clearwing (Hemaris thysbe) Range: Alaska and the Northwest Territories south through British Columbia to Oregon; east through the Great Plains and the Great Lakes area to Maine and Newfoundland; south to Florida and Texas.

Cat
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theherblady
True Blue Farmgirl

510 Posts

Jan
Glasford Illinois
USA
510 Posts

Posted - Sep 16 2005 :  10:39:38 AM  Show Profile
Thanks Cat~~ I think that leave me out~~
Jan
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CityCat
True Blue Farmgirl

198 Posts

Catherine
Toronto Ontario
Canada
198 Posts

Posted - Sep 17 2005 :  10:57:15 AM  Show Profile
No, I don't think it does Jan. Aren't you bordering on the Great Lakes? Illinois touches Lake Michigan. That means you're in the Great Lakes area, right?

Besides, there are a few other moths that are considered hummingbird mothes. Only one that looks likes a bumblebee. If you don't see that one, there are others to be on the lookout for.

They are part of the hawk moth family, Sphingidae. I found this website on hawk moths of Illinois:

http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/ILsphinx.htm

Cat
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Eileen
True Blue Farmgirl

1199 Posts

Eileen

USA
1199 Posts

Posted - Sep 21 2005 :  6:19:37 PM  Show Profile
We saw a beautiful Sphinx moth in Bayfield Wisconsin this week while visiting our daughter. Thanks for the link they had this one on it also.
http://www.birds-n-garden.com/white-lined_sphinx_hummingbird_moths.html
It was so georgeous!
Eileen

Songbird; singing joy to the earth
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theherblady
True Blue Farmgirl

510 Posts

Jan
Glasford Illinois
USA
510 Posts

Posted - Sep 22 2005 :  10:37:02 AM  Show Profile
I dont know Cat~~ I am in Central Ill so not sure if they would come down that far..
However, I did have a huge moth that was yellow and black..The funny thing is I thought it was a yellow leaf stuck on my "pretend" wood daisy..It was there for several days so I was going to brush it off, and realized it was a moth...I wonder what kind that was? I have never seen it before~~
Jan
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CityCat
True Blue Farmgirl

198 Posts

Catherine
Toronto Ontario
Canada
198 Posts

Posted - Sep 22 2005 :  9:32:29 PM  Show Profile
Jan: You're not giving me a lot to work with here... hm. Yellow and black? Any patterning? Spots? Strips? Different patterns on the front vs hind wing? How big? Was it really a moth? Compared to butterflies, most moths are fairly small.

This is a far shot, but could it be an male Io moth?
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/moths/usa/957.htm

Cat
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theherblady
True Blue Farmgirl

510 Posts

Jan
Glasford Illinois
USA
510 Posts

Posted - Sep 23 2005 :  07:54:57 AM  Show Profile
Cat-I wish I could send a pic of it...It wasnt the Io moth..It was a goldish yellow with horizontal blackish brown/rust stripes on its body..and rust-ish large spot on its wings-not a perfect circle tho...I will have to refresh my memory -my DH took a picture so maybe I can figure out how to send it..It was definately a moth tho-Approx 4 in or so accross and was just sitting there on the yellow part of my wooden daisy~~
Is there a way to do a search with such little information?
Jan
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theherblady
True Blue Farmgirl

510 Posts

Jan
Glasford Illinois
USA
510 Posts

Posted - Sep 23 2005 :  08:06:48 AM  Show Profile
I "Asked Jeeves" and the closest I found is the Eacles-(or is it Eades )Imperialis...I will have to check my picture again..Would it be possible that is what it was?
Jan
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CityCat
True Blue Farmgirl

198 Posts

Catherine
Toronto Ontario
Canada
198 Posts

Posted - Sep 23 2005 :  3:58:28 PM  Show Profile
Jan: have a look at this. Was this it?

Eacles imperialis, the Imperial moth.
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/moths/usa/mor974.htm

Cat
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theherblady
True Blue Farmgirl

510 Posts

Jan
Glasford Illinois
USA
510 Posts

Posted - Sep 25 2005 :  5:59:54 PM  Show Profile
Ok Cat- I am trying to send the pic-Hopefully it will turn out~~
Jan


http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jkwhitten/detail?.dir=/f28f&.dnm=89a9.jpg&.src=ph
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theherblady
True Blue Farmgirl

510 Posts

Jan
Glasford Illinois
USA
510 Posts

Posted - Sep 25 2005 :  6:06:47 PM  Show Profile
Wow Cat- I just looked at the web site~~It must be an Eacles Imperialis...! Thanks~~
What do you know about them?? I have never seen one before~~ It sure was big for a moth!!
Jan
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CityCat
True Blue Farmgirl

198 Posts

Catherine
Toronto Ontario
Canada
198 Posts

Posted - Sep 26 2005 :  8:57:52 PM  Show Profile
Well, I really don't know anything about moths. Truth be told, I don't like moths all that much. I like them better than butterflies, but that's about it. I like flowerflies the best. I began my insect studies in a fly lab, so I'm a bit biased. At least I didn't study small dung flies!

I took a look at your photo (very nice by the way!) and I'd have to concur on it being a Eacles imperialis, the Imperial moth. For more info on this particular moth, go to this website:
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/moths/usa/974.htm

I'm currently working as an aquatic invertebrate taxonomist. I'm getting to know my water insects and such. I kinda miss my flies though... (yeah, I'm such a geek!)

Cat
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Kim
True Blue Farmgirl

146 Posts

Kim
Pflugerville Texas
USA
146 Posts

Posted - Sep 26 2005 :  9:06:57 PM  Show Profile
Sorry, but......ick!

farmgirl@heart

Be at peace with yourself and the rest will follow
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theherblady
True Blue Farmgirl

510 Posts

Jan
Glasford Illinois
USA
510 Posts

Posted - Sep 28 2005 :  07:38:50 AM  Show Profile
Wow Cat~~What a large title for such a little species...Best wishes...and Thanks for the input~~
Jan
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