There is an incredible insect that mimics the look and behavior of a hummingbird. This amazing creature is the hummingbird hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum). The hummingbird hawk-moth resembles a hummingbird so closely that it is often mistaken for one. In this article, we will explore the similarities between the hummingbird hawk-moth and the hummingbird and why this insect has evolved to mimic these mesmerizing birds.
Appearance
At first glance, the hummingbird hawk-moth really does look astonishingly similar to a hummingbird.
Size
The hummingbird hawk-moth has a wingspan of 1.6-2.4 inches (4-6 cm), which is in the same size range as many small hummingbird species. For example, the bee hummingbird, the smallest hummingbird species, has a wingspan of just 2.25 inches (5.7 cm). The ruby-throated hummingbird, a common North American species, measures 3-3.5 inches (7.5-9 cm). With their comparable sizes, it is no wonder that a hovering hummingbird hawk-moth can be mistaken for a tiny hummingbird.
Wings
The wings of the hummingbird hawk-moth beat at an incredibly swift pace, up to 70-80 beats per second. This allows the insect to hover in front of flowers just as hummingbirds do. The fast-moving wings are also one reason it produces a humming or buzzing sound as it flies. The wings are narrow like a hummingbird’s and clear except for black edges and veins. In flight, the translucent, rapidly flapping wings make the moth appear to be a blur of motion, much like a hummingbird.
Color
The hummingbird hawk-moth’s body is covered in fuzz that resembles feathers. The “feathers” are various shades of brown, tan, grey, and white, which allows the moth to blend in with the bark of trees when at rest. In flight, the rapid fluttering of its wings exposes bright flashes of orange, yellow, red, purple, or pink on the upperwings that look just like the iridescent colors shimmering on a hummingbird’s body. The similarity is so strong that someone briefly spotting a hummingbird hawk-moth in flight would likely assume they had seen a hummingbird darting by.
Shape
The hummingbird hawk-moth has a long, slender body and long, narrow wings – just like a hummingbird. When hovering, the moth’s wings are angled back and the long proboscis pointed forwards – mimicking the characteristic shape of a hovering hummingbird. The resemblance is uncanny.
Behavior
Like hummingbirds, the hummingbird hawk-moth feeds on flower nectar. It uses its exceptionally long proboscis (which is sometimes longer than its own body) to drink nectar while hovering in front of flowers. Its hovering, darting flight from flower to flower closely resembles the movement of a foraging hummingbird. This characteristic feeding behavior furthers the impression that this insect is a tiny hummingbird.
Distribution
The hummingbird hawk-moth is widespread across suitable habitat in Europe, Asia, and Africa. It is found throughout southern and central Europe. In Africa, it occupies a broad swath across the central and northern parts of the continent down into South Africa. Its range extends eastwards across Turkey, the Middle East, and central and southern Asia all the way to western China and Mongolia.
This broad distribution means the hummingbird hawk-moth overlaps with several hummingbird species across Europe and Asia. Hummingbirds are exclusively found in the Americas, but a few vagrant individuals occasionally show up in Europe and Asia. This provides opportunities for lucky birdwatchers to directly observe the hawk-moth mimicking hummingbird behavior. Seeing the two species side-by-side highlights their uncanny similarity.
Habitat
The hummingbird hawk-moth thrives in areas with plenty of flowers and suitable trees. It is found in gardens, parks, meadows, grasslands, forest clearings and edges, shrublands, and other habitats that provide its required food plants and trees for roosting. Sunny, open areas with lots of flowers are especially favored. This habitat preference for flower-rich environments is identical to that of hummingbirds, which also rely on nectar as their main food source.
Flowers
Adult hummingbird hawk-moths mainly feed on nectar from tube-shaped flowers, just like hummingbirds. Favorite flowers include honeysuckles, petunias, roses, jasmine, lilac, clover, thistles, and foxgloves. The moth’s long proboscis allows it to probe deep inside tubular flowers for nectar. Their wings also hum audibly as they lick up nectar while hovering, which contributes to their resemblance to hummingbirds.
Trees
Hummingbird hawk-moths rest on tree trunks and branches, where their mottled, brown-grey coloring provides camouflage against the bark. Suitable roosting trees include willows, poplars, ashes, and fruit trees. The presence of appropriate trees among the flowers offers the moths safe resting sites between feeding bouts. Hummingbirds similarly utilize trees as perches for resting.
Migration
The hummingbird hawk-moth migrates long distances, just like some species of hummingbirds. In Europe, the moths migrate northwards in spring from southern areas like Mediterranean countries up to northern regions of Scandinavia and the British Isles. In fall, they make return migrations southwards to overwinter in warmer latitudes.
Some populations in Asia also carry out seasonal migrations that allow them to follow the blooming of flowers and vegetation. This migration behavior allows the moths to take advantage of seasonal peaks in flower nectar availability across broad geographical areas, much as hummingbirds do.
Life Cycle
Eggs
Adult female hummingbird hawk-moths lay eggs on the leaves of host plants. The eggs are round and pale green, resembling tiny pearls. Hummingbirds lay similarly shaped and colored eggs.
Caterpillars
The caterpillars that hatch from the eggs are plump and green with white and yellow diagonal stripes running down their backs. Two black spots on their rears give them a slight resemblance to some hummingbird chicks.
Chrysalis
When the caterpillar is fully developed, it forms an oval, leaf-like pale green chrysalis attached to a plant stem. Inside this protective casing, the caterpillar transforms into the adult moth.
Adults
The adult hummingbird hawk-moth emerges after 2 to 4 weeks in the chrysalis stage. Their primary activity is visiting flowers to feed on nectar. The adults mate, with females laying eggs to continue the breeding cycle. The adults live for about 2 to 6 months. This brief adult lifespan is similar to that of some hummingbird species.
Host Plants
Caterpillars feed on a variety of host plants, including willowherbs, bedstraws, fuchsias, and snowberries. Adults stick to flower nectar but may also occasionally sip moisture from leaves. The dual reliance on flowers and trees mirrors the diet of adult hummingbirds.
Defense
The hummingbird hawk-moth’s resemblance to hummingbirds provides it with protection against potential predators. By mimicking a hummingbird’s appearance and behavior, it tricks predators into perceiving it as a distasteful or dangerous prey animal not worth attacking. In reality, the moth poses no threat, but the disguise works well. When threatened, the moth can escape to safety by flying off rapidly and erratically, much like a startled hummingbird.
Evolution of Mimicry
It is not entirely clear how the hummingbird hawk-moth evolved to so closely resemble hummingbirds when it shares no close evolutionary relationship with them. Hummingbirds are only found in the Americas, whereas these moths live in Europe, Asia, and Africa where hummingbirds are absent.
One theory is that the moths evolved to mimic hummingbirds as protection against predators in tropical Africa, where hummingbird relatives like sunbirds and sugarbirds occur. When some moths later spread to Europe and Asia, the resemblance still provided protection, even without models to mimic. This trait was then retained as it continued to offer survival advantages.
Other hypotheses suggest the moths may have evolved to mimic bats or bees first, before further refinements led to a hummingbird-like appearance. In any case, the resemblance indicates evolutionary convergence, where similar traits arise independently in unrelated organisms. The match between hummingbird hawk-moths and hummingbirds provides an excellent example of this phenomenon. The convergence improves the moths’ chances of survival against predators seeking an easy, harmless meal.
Conclusion
With its specialized hovering flight, long proboscis for drinking nectar, and overall resemblance to hummingbirds, the hummingbird hawk-moth provides a fascinating example of an insect that mimics bird behavior and appearance. This remarkable adaptation enables the moth to take advantage of the same nectar resources as hummingbirds while tricking potential predators into avoiding it. The next time you spot a tiny, hovering moth darting from flower to flower, take a closer look – it just might turn out to be a hummingbird hawk-moth showing off its exceptional hummingbird impression!