Look-Alikes
Posted by fred dickow on July 7, 2005
Q: What Looks like a hummer baby, It had a green head and black body, the back had multi colors prim red.
State: Kentucky
Habitat: suburban/yard
A: It sounds as though you saw something feeding at a flower that looked like a baby, not adult, hummiingbird? I'm almost positive you saw one of the Sphinx or Hawk Moths. These moths tend to feed in the evening or at night although a few do feed during daytime. The Clear-winged Sphinx (this is the species I'm guessing you saw) looks especially like a hummingbird and can really fool you if you don't get a good look. Google this moth and see if this isn't what you saw. As you might suspect, this moth was getting nectar from a flower just like the hummingbirds do - a wonderful example of convergent evolution.
Thanks for your question.
John Wiessinger ( July 7, 2005)