Incredible split-second photos capture rare hummingbird hawk-moth in full flight
Photographer Andrew Fusek-Peters captured a hummingbird hawk-moth hovering in flight, with images showing its rapid wing movement. The photographs highlight a distinctive visitor to Britain that resembles a hummingbird and can feed from deep within flowers.
The moth can beat its wings up to 90 times a second, producing an audible hum. It migrates to Britain from southern Europe and North Africa, and while it is seen in most months, warmer summers mean it now breeds here and often overwinters in the UK.
- Andrew Fusek-Peters photographed a hummingbird hawk-moth in flight.
- Its wings beat up to 90 times a second.
- Warmer summers mean it breeds and winters in Britain.
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The hummingbird hawk-moth is a large moth whose hovering flight and long feeding tube can make it look like a tiny hummingbird. It visits flowers to feed on nectar, reaching deep inside them.
The moth migrates to Britain from southern Europe and North Africa. It has become more likely to breed and survive through winter in the UK during warmer conditions, making it a distinctive visitor to British gardens and countryside.