This month is my second time to see one of these in my garden in June 2020 when I did a blog post first titled “Flying Shrimp” and then went back and changed it when someone told me it was a “Hummingbird Moth.” Well, now I’m a little better versed in butterflies and moths and the scientific name is Aellopos titan (link to ButterfliesandMoths.org) and the accepted common name Titan Sphinx Moth, though some still call it “Hummingbird Moth.” It is found throughout South and Central America north throughout the eastern half of the United States. It is one of the weirdest looking creatures I’ve seen in my garden. My Titan Sphinx Moth Gallery includes those photos from 2020 as well as this year’s. Interesting! 🙂
And more photos from this year . . .
¡Pura Vida!
I can understand why some people call it a hummingbird moth, at first glance I would think it is a hummingbird.
Thank you!!!
Found your post last night as we saw these, and initially thought they were hummingbirds! What a great moth. Found in La Fortuna CR,
Glad you got to see them! CR is full of surprises! 🙂
thanks for this site
just saw this moth in my garden. Guisaro, Atenas – maybe it is their favorite area
also using Cornell Lab app to sort out 60+ bird species in our yard
Kathryn,
And thanks to you for reading the blog! 🙂 I love living here and have been in a little rental casita in Roca Verde, Atenas for nearly 10 years now. Costa Rica is my nature paradise and when I can, I travel all over the country to photograph nature. I’m 84 years old.
That moth is a favorite of mine, though I focus more on butterflies as you can see in my CR Butterflies & Moths Gallery at: https://charliedoggett.smugmug.com/Butterflies-Moths
And this has really been a good year for butterflies, both in my garden and places I have traveled. Happy nature focusing in Guisaro Atenas!