Is it a hummingbird? No, it’s a hummingbird hawk-moth!

Often mistaken for hummingbirds, like hummingbirds (and unlike most moths) they feed during the day, hovering in front of flowers and using their long tongues to sip nectar. Also, their compact furry bodies, fan-shaped tail, and orange-grey coloration are quite birdlike, and more specifically, hummingbird-like – their fast wingbeats hum audibly and blur like feathers…

A swarm of them crossing the English Channel towards England on the day of the D-Day landings in 1944 confirmed their status as good omens. In May and June, they migrate to Britain from North Africa and southern Europe in order to breed. With milder winters associated with climate change, some individuals now overwinter.

Their caterpillars feed on species of Gallium plants, including cleavers (sticky weed) and meadow plant lady’s bedstraw. Gallium is part of the coffee family, and elsewhere in the world, caterpillars of other hawk-moth species feed on coffee tree leaves.