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Hummingbird Moths all over our allotment

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  • 16-07-2011 2:19pm
    #1
    paddy147
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 15,858 ✭✭✭✭


    Thers lots of these facinating and rare creatures flying around our allotment yesterday and today.

    Amazing to look at.:eek::D


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    #2
    tenandtracer
    Registered Users Posts: 1,540 ✭✭✭tenandtracer


    a sign of good weather, maybe


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    #3
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,448 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    What part of the country are you in? I have only ever seen one of them, they are totally fascinating.


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    #4
    Ophiopogon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,189 ✭✭✭Ophiopogon


    I just googled these as tbh I'd never heard of them. They are amazing looking, what are you growing that you think they are most attracted to?


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    #5
    paddy147
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 15,858 ✭✭✭✭paddy147


    looksee wrote: »
    What part of the country are you in? I have only ever seen one of them, they are totally fascinating.

    north dublin.:)


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    #6
    paddy147
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 15,858 ✭✭✭✭paddy147


    Ophiopogon wrote: »
    I just googled these as tbh I'd never heard of them. They are amazing looking, what are you growing that you think they are most attracted to?


    These,they seem to come back to these each evening and around the same time,around 5 pm.

    Mad or what??


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    #7
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,448 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    Thats a lovely allium, but I don't see a moth on it?


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    #8
    paddy147
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 15,858 ✭✭✭✭paddy147


    looksee wrote: »
    Thats a lovely allium, but I don't see a moth on it?


    I know,i posted the pic to show the type of flowers they are attracted too.

    Thats what i was asked,afterall.


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    #9
    Nonmonotonic
    Registered Users Posts: 422 ✭✭Nonmonotonic


    Seems they like purple ( and pink )!

    hummingbird-moths-7.jpg

    white-lined_sphinx_moth_link2.jpg


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    #10
    Mothman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    ^^^^^^^
    Neither of these are Hummingbird Hawk-moths.
    The upper one doesn't occur in Ireland and the lower one is a rare immigrant.

    Hummingbird-Hawk-moths are also immigrants, usually from southern Europe. The occasional one had been reported hibernating from south coast region. They are seen in Ireland every year and there was a reasonable influx 2 weeks ago with reports countrywide, but mainly from southern and eastern coastal regions.
    Red Valerian seems to be the no. 1 attractant but can be seen at a wide range of flowers including Buddleja.


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    #11
    celticbhoy27
    Registered Users Posts: 885 ✭✭✭celticbhoy27


    what do they look like then? out of curiosity?!


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    #12
    Mothman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    celticbhoy27 wrote: »
    what do they look like then? out of curiosity?!
    See here

    For a Hawk-moth they're quite small, but they are unmistakable when flitting around a garden during the day. And they are very often mistaken as being a Humming Bird


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    #13
    minterno
    Registered Users Posts: 596 ✭✭✭minterno


    heres a pic i got a few years ago in my back garden,i have some more but there on the pc somwhere and i cant find them at the minute,click on pic to enlarge a bit


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    #14
    krissovo
    Registered Users Posts: 2,645 ✭✭✭krissovo


    I had 3 of them in North Cork 10 days ago, my partner thought I was insane when I was telling her there was a tiny humming bird flying around our garden.


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    #15
    minterno
    Registered Users Posts: 596 ✭✭✭minterno


    they should be back every day at the same time,their must be some good grazing for them there


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