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Humming-bird Hawk-moth
Macroglossum stellatarum (Linnaeus, 1758)
Sphingidae: Macroglossinae
1984 / 69.010
Photo © Paul Kitchener,  Shottisham, 6 August 2022

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Similar Species: None
Forewing: 20-24mm.
Flight: April-December. (mostly Aug-Sept)
Foodplant:   Lady's Bedstraw, other bedstraws. Wild Madder.
Red List: Least Concern (LC)
GB Status: Common / Immigrant
Former Status: Immigrant
Verification Grade:  Adult: 1
Status
Morley's Final Catalogue: Occasionally observed hovering at flowers from August to late October, everywhere throughout the County from Stratford Mary to Gorleston but nearly always singly; especially common in certain favourable years, e.g. 1893, 1899, 1911 and 1926.

Recent Suffolk Status: A very common migrant species to the county, increasing in recent years. Regularly overwinters successfully with adults occasionally found indoors in the winter. Now also regularly seen feeding at spring flowers when conditions not suitable for migration to have occurred.

Life history: Adults can be seen all year round, but mostly during the summer months.

Identification: Similar to the Bee hawks but has fully scaled grey forewings.

Habitats: Gardens, parks, woodland rides, flowery grassland - pretty much anywhere.

Recorded in 55 (95%) of 58 10k Squares.
First Recorded in 1933.
Last Recorded in 2025.
Additional Stats

Latest 10 Records
Date#VC10kArea
11/03/2025125TM06Bacton/Stowupland
10/03/2025126TL77Mildenhall
25/02/2025125TM35Snape/Tunstall
16/10/2024126TL97Hopton/Ixworth
16/10/2024125TM35Snape/Tunstall
08/10/2024125TM37Halesworth
05/10/2024125TM23Felixstowe/Landguard Point
01/10/2024125TM48Beccles/Brampton
27/09/2024126TL78Brandon/Lakenheath
21/09/2024125TM49Somerleyton/Beccles
Further info: Macroglossum stellatarum
 
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