Hummingbird Hawk-moth - Macroglossum stellatarum

Wingspan 40-50 mm. It flies in the sunshine and hovers in front of flowers, sipping the nectar with its long proboscis, very much like the Hummingbird which gives it its name.

Gardens, parks and other areas where its food plants occur.

June to August are the main months. Has been recorded in winter, and is known to hibernate, and therefore spring records may refer to overwintering individuals rather than new immigrants. Mainly diurnal, visiting Aubrietia, Buddleia, Viper's Bugloss, Red Valerian and various other plants.

The larvae feed on Bedstraw, and some of these may hatch and give rise to autumn adults in an influx year.

An immigrant species which sometimes occurs in large numbers. A large influx occurred in the summer of 2000, when moths were observed in parks and gardens all over Britain. The species was again quite common in 2003 and 2006. In a recent survey to determine the status of all macro moths in Britain this species was classified as a migrant.

Occasional. It is generally a fairly uncommon species in Leicestershire and Rutland, but numbers increase in good migration years. L&R Moth Group status = C (very scarce resident or rare migrant)