Bird or Insect

[Bill in Arlington]

I have just discovered about 10 or so animials/insects flying around my purple verbena. It has wings that move very fast and hovers, has snouth like a hummingbird, has two anti, is 1" to 3" long and is stripped, green and light colored stripes. Does anyone know what these are?

Thanks

Bill

[sandih]

It could be a moth of some kind if you are sure it's not a hummingbird.

You can go to the Dallas Lepidopterist Society's website (which has butterflies and moth info) and they've got a great database of photographs for identifying.

http://www.dallasbutterflies.com/


They also show what the caterpillar of each one looks like too.

[sandih]

Try to get a picture if possible.

[Bill in Arlington]

It has the body like a hummingbird, but the anti is what made me wornder if was an insect. Will have to wait till dusk today that's the only time I have seen them on the plant

[sandih]

if you only see it at dusk, then I'm positive it's a moth. There are some moths that are actually larger than some hummingbirds. Most of the antennae are fuzzy (if you can see them that close up).

[sandih]

Scroll thru these images too:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080407/lf_nm_life/italy_tourism_hemingway_dc


Could it be? : http://www.desertusa.com/mag99/jan/papr/sphinx.html
or http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/hawk_moths.shtml

Sphinx Moths. Adult sphinx moths are powerful fliers. Their slender wings have subtle and intricate patterns. The Pandora sphinx moth is a distinctive olive green color with black and pink markings. The caterpillar is green or reddish-brown with large, striking white spots along the sides of the body. All sphinx moth larvae have a horn-like appendage at the rear of the body. When the Pandora sphinx larva is half-grown, it loses its rear appendage and acquires a glassy eyespot in its place. These caterpillars hold their bodies in an erect sphinx-like position, hence their name. They feed mainly on grape and Virginia creeper. Most sphinx moth caterpillars burrow into the ground to pupate. Their mouthparts develop in a distinctive handle-like structure.

[sandih]

Bill, anymore sightings?

[Bill in Arlington]

Yes I just went out and got pictures and can't figure out how to attach them to this

[sandih]

Here's how I do it, cause I haven't been able to post an image directly on the site like others have. I go to www.kodakgallery.com and upload the images into a new gallery that you create (it's free). Then you click on share the album and be sure you check the part where no one has to log in to view them. Then send the album to yourself. when you open your email that has the invitation to the shared album in it, there will be a long URL posted in the message and you can cut and past that URL into this forum so people can click on it to see your pics.....make sense?


Did you get a chance to scroll thru the images I posted?

[khwoz]

Could it be the hummingbird moth? (see link)

http://www.dirtdoctor.com/view_question.php?id=1944

[sandih]

I thought about that too, but he mentioned it had green in it...can't wait to see his images!

[Bill in Arlington]

Try this URL to see pictures

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=afonyzb.1ngpv5cj&x=0&y=-kc7x5q&localeid=en_US

[sandih]

Seeing other pics of the hummingbird moth, I didn't realize how green it is...I bet this is the one.

[sandih]

My guess is the Giant Hawk Moth because of the stripes, brown color and the rosy section on the wings.

http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/hawk_moths.shtml

[Sattie]

http://www.dirtdoctor.com/view_question.php?id=1944

Check this out on the website. Looks similar if not identical to your photos.

I am not sure how I got the email of the photos.... I got an email notifying me that I was watching this topic.....anyway.......

There it is.