Feature Article June 19,2003
LAND O' LAKES NewsWeb HomeContact Us
Humming Bird MothHave you seen something in your garden which looks like a cross between a big bee and a small hummingbird sipping nectar from the flowers? Perhaps you have seen a Hummingbird Moth. I had one visit my garden last week, having a feed from the Wild Columbines.
Yes, some moths do fly during the day and the Hummingbird Moth, otherwise known as the Clearwing Moth, does that in full sunlight. It flies rapidly and hovers over flowers, producing a soft buzz with its wings, much like a hummingbird, though the buzz is softer. Instead of 'lapping' up the nectar with a tongue, like a hummingbird does, this moth uses a straw-like 'tongue' or proboscis to suck out the nectar. Like the hummingbird, it needs the sugary nectar for energy to flap its wings at high speed.
This member of the Sphinx or Hawk Moth family is found from coast to coast, and can confuse you the first time you see it. The caterpillar, which is yellowish green with darker green lines and reddish brown spots on the abdomen and has a yellow tail horn, has spent its time feeding on plants of the honeysuckle, viburnum or related families. While on the ground the larva or caterpillar will weave a somewhat dense, brown cocoon under fallen leaves. When it first emerges from its cocoon, the moth's wings have scales, but most of these drop off after the first flight leaving clear areas devoid of scales except along the veins. From around May to September, sometimes there are two generations in a summer season. These moths do not have hearing organs, and if approached slowly you may get quite close to them - watch for them in your garden.
Can you help? - this is the breeding season for birds, and we are in the third year of a five-year project to determine what birds are breeding in Ontario. If you see nests, young birds or fledglings, or suspect you have birds nesting, please let me know. I am responsible for an area from Perth to north of Kaladar, and, if you are a bird watcher, you could become an atlasser, and be part of this project. The information from this project will help to determine if any species is endangered and will give information for research on bird species. Once the five-year term is complete, all information will be organized and published in the 2nd Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Ontario. The first atlas was published in 1987 and comparison of data from the two will be invaluable. Call me at 268-2518, Jean Griffin.
Observations: Helm in Oconto has young chickadees in one of his bird houses, and found a Ruffed Grouse nest with 8 eggs. He also observed a pair of snakes, possibly Northern Water Snakes, mating. Many of our early summer flowers are in bloom, including Blue Flag, Canada Anemone, Yarrow, and, of course, buttercups and daisies.
