Q: I spotted an unusual  insect head net in our garden. At first sight, I thought  it  was a large bumble bee, but  it  had a long beak like a hummingbird. It  seemed to fly at a standstill, getting nectar out of flowers almost looked like a tiny hummingbird. It  was not afraid, as it was only inches away while feeding on the flowers. Any ideas?

 

A: It  was a hummingbird moth, which is the nickname for several species of sphinx moths of the family Sphingidae that can look a lot like some unusual species of hummingbird without close examination. The bodies of the moths are about hummingbird size. And, with very rapid beats of their clear wings, the moths hover over flowers, taking nectar before flitting from one flower to the next. Look more closely, and you also will see the feathery antennae extending from the front of the head and the proboscis, which the moth uncoils from the underside of its head to take nectar.