ID please... easy one :-)

Nick Greatorex-Davies ngd at ceh.ac.uk
Tue Jul 31 07:37:52 EDT 2001


Eric,

Sounds to me like one of the bee hawk-moths (Lep.: Sphingidae): possibly either the Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth (Hamaris fuciformis) or the Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth (Hamaris tityrus). They look most like bees with their partially transparent wings and hover and nectar (with their long proboscis) from flowers like hummingbirds. The Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellataruum) is another possibility but this has basically brown forewings and orange hind wings.

Regards

Nick Greatorex-Davies
CEH Monks Wood, Huntingdon, UK.

>>> Eric Gibert <ericgibert at yahoo.fr> 31/07/01 08:35:16 >>>
Hello,

I would like your help for the Id of this strange "butterfly" (maybe
it is not!) quite common in southern Europe. As I am French, please
excuse my imperfect English (and lack of vocabulary... I do not have a
dictionary here).

Its body looks like a bulky bee, it flaps its wings very quickly, and,
like a colibri, it can stays on a spot without moving. It has got a
roster (mouthpart) like a butterfly to sucks the flowers.

If you have its english/French common name, or its Latin name, I will
browse the web for more info. I have to say that I am quite curious
about this strange insect which combines bee, butterfly and colibri
:-)

Thank you for your help,

Eric

 
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