Hummingbird Hawkmoth Macroglossum stellatarum

The Hummingbird Hawk-moth is a species of Sphingidae. Its long proboscis and its hovering behavior, accompanied by an audible humming noise, make it look remarkably like a hummingbird while feeding on flowers.

Conservation status in Norfolk

At one of Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s coastal reserves, the hummingbird hawkmoth is a regular visitor, appearing in early June. Caterpillars of this species have been seen, so we know they breed in Norfolk, but the question is are they able to hibernate and survive the cold Norfolk winter? If the predicted warmer winters due to global warming occur, it could mean that the hummingbird hawkmoth will become resident.

Click to see the Biodiversity Action Plan Species for this species

How to help

Plant nectar-rich plants in your garden, such as lavender, jasmine and buddleia.

Adopt me today and help ensure my future!

David North

Information on the Hummingbird Hawkmoth

How to recognise

The hovering flight of this moth as it feeds on nectar from flowers resembles a hummingbird. In flight the white-tipped black sides to the abdomen and the orange-brown colouring of the wings are apparent, along with a long proboscis which it uses to feed on nectar. The caterpillar, which feeds on lady’s bedstraw or hedge bedstraw, is green or brown with a broad, dark band along each side and a blue yellow-tipped horn.

Where to see

The hummingbird hawkmoth occurs throughout the year in southern Europe where it is resident, but each year, in varying numbers, it migrates northwards with some being blown across the English Channel and arriving in Britain. It is most commonly seen along the south and south-west, but sightings in Norfolk do regularly occur. Hummingbird hawkmoths feed on tubular flowers such as red valerian, viper’s bugloss and jasmine and can be found in gardens, parks and other habitats where these flowers grow.

When to see

In Norfolk, hummingbird hawkmoths are mainly seen on the wing from June to early August, with peak numbers in July. They are day-flying moths and are most active on sunny days, but they also fly on overcast and even rainy days. Caterpillars may be seen feeding on bedstraw from June to October, but are mainly recorded in July and August.

Did you know?

This beautiful day-flying moth is reputed to be a messenger of good tidings. A small swarm of hummingbird hawkmoths was reported flying over the English Channel heading to England from France – the day they were seen was D-day, 1944!

Finding out more

UK Moths

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