Re: hummingbirds NOW Tomato Hornworms

Tomato hornworms are members of the Sphingidae family, as are the clearwing Sphinx moths that look so much like hummers. Manduca quinquemaculata, the Tomato Hornworm, is not a clearwing moth, and grows up to be the Five-spotted Hawkmoth.

When I had a large buddleia in bloom, it was covered with the little flying lobsters, as well as many other butterflies and insects. Alas, buddleia is marginally hardy here, and I have seen few sphinx moths in the last couple of years. The hummers always come back but since the elevation here is nearly 2000 feet, they first show up in May, and don't settle in until around Memorial Day.

Mud season is well under way here, and last week's three inches of snow is disappearing fast. There was very little snow this season; my driveway was plowed only three times, although there was plenty of rain. The lake is still low and there won't be much snowmelt this spring. This morning I saw several skeins of Canada geese flying northward, and even though the lake is still 95% iced-over, there was a hardy soul out in a canoe, exploring the edges.

Maria in NE PA, zone 5b

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