Hummingbird Hawk Moth

I’ve spent the afternoon planting containers - dahlias, salvia amistad, and basil. In a difficult year I really want our small back garden to be as good as it can be.

Spending time in the garden means that I notice things. My blip was going to be a montage of life on our perennial sweet pea - leaf cutter bees (I love the way they embrace the heart of the flower), a small hoverfly, and what I think is a little wasp. But that’s now the extra.

Later in the afternoon I was tidying up when something whizzed past me - a hummingbird hawk moth, one of my favourite insects and really fast. I grabbed my camera, which was fortunately nearby. It spent quite a bit of time feasting on the sweet william flowers. Not easy focussing on it, but I’m pleased with a few of the images. Its eyes are very unlike a moth’s, more like a bird’s.

Thanks to KangaZu for hosting.