I have lived in Alberta all my life, and I had never seen this visitor before. I was out on the deck, talking to my Mom on Sunday, and my husband suddenly pointed to a bee in my flowers, except it wasn't a bee, unless it was on steroids. Luckily our camera was handy, and he caught the little creature in action...feeding on my flowers.
I am not sure what the heck it is, so if any biologists happen to read my blog, please tell me what kind of creature it is because it's not a bee, and it's not a hummingbird. I have not photo shopped the pictures, but I have magnified the strange visitor so it can be identified.
Notice that it doesn't have two legs like a hummingbird, it appears to have at least 4 legs, but it has hummingbird type wings. It is only about the size of a bee, but doesn't have the yellow/black colours of a typical bee.
Anyone who can identify this strange visitor to my flowers....speak up, otherwise I will have to believe that global warming is causing mutant bee/hummingbirds!
13 comments:
I'm going to guess a species of moth.
I have seen one before, but it was in Manitoba. I have no idea what it is, other than, as Iceman says, a moth.
This is, I believe, the Hummingbird Hawk Moth..look at this page and see what incredible mimics these larger moths can be!
..and they even hum!
http://www.neatorama.com/2007/10/15/worlds-weirdest-moths/
Mothra
The Department of National Defense has achieved much success with technology of miniature drones so perhaps this is one of them.
Could be you are earmarked for a security check from "big brother".
I wouldn't become too concerned, but remember to pull you shades at night; "The State has no business in the bedrooms of the nation."
LOL
E Mac
Commonly called the "SQ Mothess" native to Quebec but some times due to prevailing winds of change they buzz off to the west for a little nector of oil sands.
Looks like the hummingbird moths we have in central B.C.
I saw one caught in a spider's web a few years back,and rescued it,so had the chance to take a close look at it,beautiful creature.
I was gratified when,after a few minutes recovery,it flew away.
Hemaris is a Holarctic genus of sphinx moths, consisting of about 17 species living in the Holarctic, four of which fly in North America. Moths in the Hemaris genus are collectively called Clearwing Moths or Hummingbird Moths in the US.
What you have is the "Hemaris quam did ego terminus sursum hic".
My bird guide for eastern North America mentions sphinx moths as a similar species to hummingbirds, but adds that they "seldom visit flowers before dusk."
Okay, so it's a moth that pretends to be a hummingbird! I love nature! Thanks to everyone for their help. E Mac and WCT had the best posts.
This guy must have been hungry Geoffrey, because it was high noon at the time! Maybe they get confused up here because the sun doesn't set until 11:00 or later.
Check out "WhatsThatBug". I found a link that may be similar:
http://www.whatsthatbug.com/2011/05/31/bug-of-the-month-june-2011-tachinid-fly/
'The Department of National Defense has achieved much success with technology of miniature drones'
Hahah... you obviously have never worked for or dealt with DND.
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