Hummingbird Moth

[Doc Tinker]

The other evening, we were sitting out on the deck and something flew up to some flowers we have in a pot out there. At first, we thought it was a hummingbird, but they don't usually let people get too close to them and my son was able to walk right up and get a good look.



It turned out to be a moth that looked and flew just like a hummingbird. It was a little larger than my thumb and you could hardly see it's wings because they moved so fast.



What's the biggest moth you've ever seen?

 

[illflem]

What you are calling a hummingbird moth is actually the adult stage of the tomato horn worm. Ugly worm, I've seen them up to four inches long. They can really chow and sometimes their feeding is confused with deer damage.



The moth is the biggest I've ever seen in the US but in Vietnam there were some as big as a sparrow.



Horn worm

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[QRTRHRS]

There are actually quite a few that have >5" wingspans in PA. I think the biggest one is close to 7". Check out your state on this site. http://www.npwrc. usgs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/moths/mothsusa.htm

 

[bbowe]

My poor bug zapper was never the same after one of those got tangled up in it. Made for a good light show though!