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Unusual Flying Insect

NewBoy2NewBoy2 BristolPosts: 1,811
in Wildlife gardening
I saw what looked like a butterfly and a wasp or bee welded together visiting the lavenders today

It was the ones that I planted and tend at The MH Centre and no i was not imagining it.

It was about 2 inches long and flew just like a bee but it seemed to have in the middle third of its body a set of brightly coloured wings

I dont have a camera so I cant Im afraid post one.

This is going to be a toughy friends.


Everyone is just trying to be Happy.....So lets help Them.

Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Billericay, EssexPosts: 9,861
    Hawkmoth of some sort maybe...?
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • NollieNollie Girona, Catalunya, Northen Spain.Posts: 6,547
    My first thought too - broad banded bee hawkmoth?

  • NewBoy2NewBoy2 BristolPosts: 1,811
    Just checked some photos on Gurgle and it looks similar

    Thank you Pete
    Everyone is just trying to be Happy.....So lets help Them.
  • NewBoy2NewBoy2 BristolPosts: 1,811
    Nollie....The wings were brightly coloured a bit like a Red Admiral butterfly
    Everyone is just trying to be Happy.....So lets help Them.
  • NollieNollie Girona, Catalunya, Northen Spain.Posts: 6,547
    Sounds amazing, do let us know if you id it. I have a few different types here, but would love to see a Bedstraw - not quite red admiral enough tho...
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Billericay, EssexPosts: 9,861
    I saw a big one in Spain years ago - I thought it was a hummingbird.....
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • steephillsteephill Posts: 2,619
    Maybe elephant hawk moth (very bright green and red) or perhaps humming bird hawk moth?
  • NollieNollie Girona, Catalunya, Northen Spain.Posts: 6,547
    We get lots of hummingbird HMs here, but they don’t look like a red admiral butterfly, just a plain rusty red hue to the wing... 
  • PeggyTXPeggyTX Posts: 556
    edited September 2019
    We get lots of hummingbird moths at our rural cabin property.  Not the more colorful ones, however.  :(  Someone posted a video yesterday of one of them working over one of his flowers.  You might enjoy watching it.  Be sure to blow it up large for best viewing: https://garden.org/thread/view_post/2070759/

    My low-carb recipe site: https://buttoni.wordpress.com/
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