NATURE CLICKS #509 - SAD UNDERWING MOTH (CATOCALA MAESTOSA)

I like to say it right at the beginning, I don’t put any money on a bet about the identification of this moth, but several online sources led to the conclusion that this is a Sad Underwing Moth. Yesterday evening, when I came back from a little trip with our dog, the moth used our front door as a sunny resting spot. The sun was already pretty low but there was no need to employ a speed light or any other artificial light source. The dark underwings are usually hidden beneath the camouflage of the forewings but this one had one side exposed to the light. The color version of the image is not bad but I really liked the graphic impact of this moth, hence the development as a black & white photo.

Nikon D750, Sigma 150mm / f2.8 APO EX DG HSM, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, RRS BH-55 ball head,   @ 1/2 s, f/16, ISO100

NATURE CLICKS #382 - HUMMINGBIRD MOTH

It is not difficult to find out why the Hummingbird Moth got its name. It’s easy to to mistake this moth with its fast beating wings for a small hummingbird. The first photo also reveals why its other name, Clearwing Moth, has been used for this insect. They are a member of the sphinx moth family (Sphingidae). Most sphinx moths fly at night but the Hummingbird Moth is active during the day.

When I made the click for this photo a couple days ago I was actually setting up the camera for shooting real humming birds (see my post from yesterday for the outcome). While the Ruby-throated Hummingbird is a permanent resident here between early May and the end of September, the Hummingbird Moth is a rare visitor in the flower beds around here.