4487. WILDLIFE SINGAPORE YCKC - Hummingbird Hawkmoth in Yio Chu Kang Crecent, Singapore

Life span.
Eggs are shiny pale green spherical laid on the plant Galium or other species. Eggs hatch around 6-8 days.
Larve that hatch from the eggs are yellow but become green after their second instar.
They stay in the larval or caterpillar stage for around 20 days, then becoming the pupa stage to adult stage.
Adult hummingbird hawk-moths live for around 7 months.

Adaptations
1. Its colours render it invisible to the eyes of predators.
2. Its long proboscis sip nectar of tubular flowers.
3. Strong wings help them hover around the flowers while they sip nectar.
4. Humming sounds from the fast beating of wings.
5. Can fly up to 12mph or 19 kph, making it one of the fastest moving insects in the world.

Predators.
Bats, owls, spiders, rodents and other birds of prey.

IUCN Conservation Status.
Not been assessed by the IUCN yet.

Interesting Facts.
The similarity between the hummingbird  hawk-moth and hummingbirds is said to be due to convergent evolution wherein two species of separate families develop to be very similar. This is called homoplasy which is the copying of physical structures than appear to be functionally the same.

Moths are not dangerous to human beings as they do not sting or bite.



Reference:
https://www.birdsandblooms.com/gardening/attracting-butterflies/insect-moth-butterfly/

 Hummingbird moths have a tail that opens like a fan when they’re hovering in the air to collect nectar from flowers, just like hummingbirds.

 

  Like butterflies, hummingbird moths have a extra long proboscis to sip nectar, sometimes twice the length of their body.

 

 

 Unlike hummingbirds, hummingbird moths don’t zero in on red flowers. Tubular blooms in any color lure day-fliers, while fragrant white or light-colored blossoms hail the sphinx moth squad in the evening by both sight and scent.

 UPDATE:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2025/03/4487-wildlife-singapore-yckc.html

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DIFFERENCES BETWEEN A MOTH AND BUTTERFLY

 The best way to tell the difference between a moth vs a butterfly is to look at the antennae. All butterflies have long, thin antennae that end in a thickened tip. But no North American moths sport these “clubbed” antennae. Instead, they have shorter, feathery antennae—especially prominent on males—that are beautifully plumed and designed to catch wafting pheromones released by females. Female moths typically have simple, thin antennae, similar to a butterfly’s at first glance but with a tapered tip.

 Notice the difference in posture, too. Butterflies usually hold their wings folded up over their bodies when they rest. They may open and close their wings when feeding on nectar or hold them flat out when basking in sunshine, but folded wings are most common. Nearly all moths rest with their wings flat or folded in a roof-like position over their bodies. Also, their bodies tend to be chubbier than those of butterflies.

 All butterfly caterpillars transform into a chrysalis, a stage when they have a hard, smooth covering that hangs from a patch of silk on a plant, twig or other support. On the other hand, moths have cocoons plastered with silk. If you’re digging in your garden and uncover a smooth brown cocoon, or pupa, in the soil, it’s going to be a moth. No butterfly spends that stage in the soil.

Moth

• Thick, furry body
• Thread-like or frond like antennae
• When resting, wings fold down over their body so the wing tops are visible

Butterfly

• Thin, smooth bodies
• Smooth antennae ending in a bulb or “club”
• When resting, wings fold over the body so under-sides are visible

UPDATE:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2025/03/4487-wildlife-singapore-yckc.html

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There are many species of hawk moths, including hummingbird hawk moths, which belong to the Sphingidae family. 

Explanation

• The Sphingidae family includes about 1,450 species. 
• Hawk moths are known for their fast flight, hovering, and long tongues. 
• The genus name for the hummingbird hawk moth is Macroglossum, which means "long-tongued". 
• The hummingbird hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) is found in temperate regions of Eurasia. 
• The Giant Sphinx Hawk-Moth (Cocytius antaeus) is the largest hawk moth species in North America. 
• The white-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata) is larger than the hummingbird moths of genus Hemaris found in the United States. 
• The hummingbird clearwing (Hemaris thysbe) is common throughout the eastern half of the United States. 
• The snowberry clearwing (Hemaris diffinis) is another species of hummingbird moth found in North America.
  

Hawk moths are also known as sphinx moths. They are named for their hovering, swift flight patterns.