What the Heck is That?!

[Loupey]

While chasing moths this evening, this big bad boy buzzed me.

At first, I thought it was a humming bird. Then, through the viewfinder I could see that it had 6 legs. With its fanned tail, it looks like a flying shrimp!

It is about the length of an average adult person's index finger. I'm mad at myself for not getting a clearer shot of it - it was very fast and I only had one chance before it flew off (actually it disappeared as I never saw it leave the area).

Hope to go back later this week to get a better image of it. Whatever it is, I have not seen it before and it was way cool looking.

[Bevb]

I may well be wrong with this but we have similar looking creatures here called the Humming moth, my father in law has them quite regularly in his garden and they are very attracted to a certain blossom.

Im sure someone here will come up with the correct name though.

You have some wonderfully different wildlife and bug species where you are, does this go on all year round? we seem to have very lull periods here.

[Lara]

I think Bev is right. Check out the Snowberry Clearwing
Hummingbird Moths on this site. http://www.birds-n-garden.com/snowbe...ird_moths.html

It looks like your bug!

[STinGa]

I'm mad at myself for not getting a clearer shot of it -

Good grief ... if I was trying to get the same shot, I would probably butcher it.
Your shots look good to me.

[paulnj]

looks like a snowberry to me, but the similiar humminbird clearwing also lives in his area ;)

http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=3439

http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=3437

[Loupey]

Thanks, STinGa, for your comments. I still remember your "catching flies with chopsticks" comment :thumbsup:

Lara, that's it! Thank you. A snowberry clearwing hummingbird moth it is. Nice to put a name to the face. From the wing shape in my shots, i thought it might be a moth but didn't realize that their bodies could be so "thick". Thanks again.

Bev, thanks. I live in a metropolitan area with 1+ million people in it. My suburb alone has 50,000+. So we don't get a lot of bird or mammal activity. But we do have bugs! I'm sure that our weather helps with that as we have 4 very distinct seasons - 90 degree summers with 90% humidity to winters well below freezing. Although this past winter was non-existent. Global warming I guess

[payn817]

A flying lobster!!

Do you live near a nuclear plant or something?

[Loupey]

A flying lobster!!

Do you live near a nuclear plant or something?

LOL! You get the "picture" :thumbsup:

Oddest looking thing I've seen in a loooong time. Its like the platypus of the insect world. That's why I like shooting insects - they're everywhere and you can usually find something new.

[julsoph]

Loupey, I had a similar experience last year when I was shooting flowers and whatnot. It took me forever to find out what it was!

Nice shots...
Emily

[SmartWombat]

It's almost like the Humming Bird Hawk-Moth we have in Europe, but you noticed it has clear wings not covered in scales.
It definintely looks like a member of the clearwing family (Sessiidae) but we have npthing like that in the UK.
Clearwigs despite having clear wings are classed as Lepidoptera, not Hymenoptera.

[Loupey]

Thanks, Emily for looking!

Thanks, Paul for your information!

I found a second one today and I was better prepared. Better shots this time (I hope )

[Knight]

Good ones Loupey , we have them all over here also . At first i tought they were some kind of Baby hummer lol

[quetzal]

Good pics, Loupey. I see them in my back yard every now and then and just recently found out what they're called.

[Loupey]

Thanks, Knight and Quetzal. As far as moths go, I think this species has quickly worked its way up the subject list for me. Can't wait to see some more. They gotta land sometime

As we don't have too many real hummingbirds in my area, I'll consider these as a "poor man's" hummingbirds in terms of photographic opportunities.

Thanks again everyone for your help IDing it.

[drg]

Reallly like that second photo. Looks like some attack aircraft of the insect world. We get lots of these, but seemingly only every two or three years.

[Chunk]

Thanks, Emily for looking!

Thanks, Paul for your information!

I found a second one today and I was better prepared. Better shots this time (I hope )

Wow! Sell those to some bug people or calendar people. Terrific shots.

[Loupey]

Thanks, DRG & Chunk! I can't wait to have a crack at a few more. I'll go for some different angles.

[Loupey]

Thanks, Knight and Quetzal. As far as moths go, I think this species has quickly worked its way up the subject list for me. Can't wait to see some more. They gotta land sometime

Now my third encounter. This time, it landed (briefly). Here is shot of the wing structure.

Funny, the first one I encountered was GIANT (the size of my index finger). The second was smaller (the size of my pinky finger). Now this one from yesterday was only slightly larger than those big bumble bees.