Moonvine and Hummingbird Moths

I had previously shared a picture of my blue Morning Glory flowers so I wanted to show the opposite end of the spectrum, Moonvine.  I have planted Moonvine at almost every state we have lived in but it seems to prefer the Gulf states.  I was lucky enough to catch a Hummingbird Moth (actually there were two) in action while I was photographing the Moonvine.  Moonvine is in the Morning Glory family and prefers very hot weather.  Its buds open in late afternoon and shrivel by morning, obviously opposite the Morning Glory!  The flowers themselves are about 5-6 inches across and have a very sweet fragrance that fills the air around it similiar to the way honeysuckle does.  The blooms are all a very pure alabaster white color and are native to the American tropics.  They produce loads of seeds for use the next year and some, depending on soil conditions, will self-seed.

Hummingbird Moths have a wingspan of about 1 1/2" to 2" and range from coast to coast in the North and east of the Great Plains south to the Gulf coast.  It produces a soft buzzing sound very similar to Hummingbirds.  They produce two generations a year and are mostly olive-green with plum-red bands across the abdomen and rear tufts according to the National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects & Spiders.

These photos were taken on 8/14/08 on a clear night at 8:45 p.m. with a Canon Powershot A540