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Identification
Hummingbird hawk moths have thick bodies, long brown forewings with wavy black lines and orange hind wings with black edges. The end of the body has a fantail of setae, or sensory hairs, similar to a hummingbird's tail feathers. Hummingbird hawk moths are medium to large moths with wingspans between 2 and 6 inches. The proboscis may extend to twice as long as the wingspan. You can hear a distinct humming sound as the moths hover over their food source. They beat their wings rapidly and dart quickly from flower to flower -- much like their small avian namesake. You can distinguish the moth from a hummingbird by the antennae on its head, its tolerance for humans and its habit of landing on flowers at times to feed.
Life Cycle
Female hawk moths entice males by emitting a pheromone, a chemical substance that signals the male to come hither. After mating, females lay eggs on the top of the leaves of plants such as bedstraw or madder. The larvae, commonly called hornworms, hatch in six to eight days; they then feed on the host plants, eating a large amount of leaves. After a month they pupate in the soil, sometimes remaining there through the winter. Some hummingbird hawk moths produce two or more generations in a season, especially in southern areas.
Host Plants
Hummingbird hawk moths inhabit fields, gardens, meadows and the edges of forests where their host plants grow. They like to lay their eggs on yellow bedstraw, which the hawk moth caterpillars feed on when they hatch. The moth favors long-necked flowers with large stores of nectar, such as petunias, honeysuckle, buddleia, red valerian, honeysuckle, verbena, jasmine, lilacs and phlox. In the process of filling up on nectar, the moth pollinates the flowers.
Predators
Larvae of hummingbird hawk moths are favorite targets of many predators, including birds, bats, spiders, mantids and assassin bugs. Camouflage colors provide the larvae some protection, and many hornworms exhibit defensive behavior by shaking their bodies from side to side, thrashing and regurgitating to deter predators. Adult moths also fall prey to birds, bats and spiders, but their speed and resemblance to birds offer them some protection.