Was surprised to find an adult Hummingbird Hawk Moth on my landing window last Thursday. It is the first time I have seen one in the winter
A Blog for moth recorders in Bucks, Berks and Oxon
A Blog for moth recorders in Bucks, Berks and Oxon
Whereabouts was that, Adrian?
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that there is evidence of the increasing ability for this species to over-winter successfully (as an adult). It is difficult to imagine that individuals seen early in the year are migrants (at least not short-distance migrants). I have just looked at the distribution of records of sightings of adults in France in January to mid-March each year. They are heavily concentrated in the south and while there is a very light sprinkling of records for this period in almost all French departments, there are only 14 records in the North (I've a map if anyone is interested). A quick check of the Netherlands (albeit an incomplete dataset) produced an even smaller result.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, Tim. There are occasional winter-time sightings in the UK but those I've noticed tend to be from the south-west where it is often milder anyway. This one, assuming that it is from our area and therefore being so far inland, strikes me as being rather unusual but hopefully a sign that the moth might slowly be adapting to cope with our winters.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that Adrian won't mind my giving his location: it's in farmland near Hampstead Norreys (just to the NE of Newbury) and therefore in VC22.
ReplyDelete