Butterflies and Moths (British)Furneaux, William S.
Science
Butterflies and Moths (British)
Furneaux, William S.
Butterflies -- Great Britain; Moths -- Great Britain
The food plants of this species are the lime (_Tilia vulgaris_), elm
(_Ulmus campestris_), and the hazel (_Corylus Avellana_), from which the
larvae may be beaten in August and September, and from under these the
pupae may be dug out during the winter months.
_The Humming-Bird Hawk_ (_Macroglossa Stellatarum_)
The genus to which this insect belongs contains three interesting
British species. Their antennae are thickened toward the end, but
terminate in a small curved bristle. Their wings are rather short and
broad; their bodies are very thick, terminating in a broad tuft of hair;
and the perfect insects fly during the daytime, delighting in the
hottest sunshine. The larvae feed principally on low-growing plants, and
undergo their metamorphoses on the ground among the foliage.
On Plate IX (fig. 6) one of these pretty moths is shown. It is the
Humming-bird Hawk, so called on account of its exceedingly rapid
humming-bird-like flight, accompanied by a soft humming sound.
This insect is very common; and, being very partial to the attractions
offered by many of our favourite garden flowers, it ought to be well
known to all observers of nature.
Take your stand near a bed of petunias or verbenas, or close to a
honeysuckle in bloom, on any hot summer's day, and you are almost sure
to be rewarded by a peep at the wonderful flight and interesting ways of
this moth. It makes its appearance so suddenly that you first view it as
an apparently motionless insect, suspended in the air, and thrusting its
long proboscis into the tube of an attractive flower. Its wings vibrate
so rapidly that they are quite invisible, and give rise to the soft hum
already mentioned. Then it darts from one flower to another, making a
similar brief stay before each while it sucks the grateful sweets. Raise
your hand as if to strike, and suddenly it vanishes you know not where.
But it is as bold as it is wary, and will often return to the selfsame
flower as if to defy your power. A sharp sweep of your net in a
horizontal direction, or a sudden downward stroke, _may_ secure it; but
if you miss it, as you probably will, it will disappear like a phantom,
and give you no opportunity of making a second attempt.
This moth is on the wing throughout the hottest months of the year--May
to September, and will often greet you as you roam over flowery banks in
search of butterflies.
The caterpillar feeds on the lady's bedstraw (_Galium verum_), hedge
bedstraw (_G. Mollugo_), and the goose grass (_G. Aparine_), and may be
searched for in August and September. It is rough, green or brownish,
and dotted with white. Along each side are two light lines. The horn is
thin and short, rough, and points upwards.
_The Broad-bordered Bee Hawk_ (_Macroglossa Fuciformis_)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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