Open Gardens
Seen today in Parwich feeding on valerian (Valeriana officinalis) growing in my drive, a hummingbird hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum). Has anyone else in Parwich seen this remarkable insect? It hovers motionless over a flower while it inserts its long proboscis into the flower to extract nectar, just like a humming bird. My brother and I watched this for about 2 minutes, entranced by what we were watching as it moved from flower to flower. If I had had a camera to hand we could have had a good picture but it suddenly flew away. When I explained to an Open Gardens visitor what we had seen he identified it for us. An image of this moth can be seen on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hummingbird_Hawk-moth#mediaviewer/File:Macrogl_Stellat.jpg
What a great day it has been, so many visitors, such glorious weather and all our visitors so appreciative,
Mike R
PARWICH.ORG 
I also spotted this spectacular, daytime-flying moth approx. 10 days ago for its first visit this year. I have seen the HBH moth most years for the past 10 years or so with the exception of a couple of years perhaps.
The organisation ‘Butterfly Conservation’ tracks its migration, together with that for the ‘Painted Lady’ – see http://butterfly-conservation.org/612/migrant-watch.html
Like Mike’s moth, ‘my’ HBH moth is always feeding on Valerian, which several butterfly species seem to love!
Here is an interesting snippet I found on a BBC page: “Key fact – Apparently the Humming-bird Hawk-moth is considered a good omen in Italy and Malta. A swarm was observed crossing the English Channel towards England on the day of the D-Day landings in 1944.”
Google Youtube and the HBH moth and you’ll find a couple of video clips of the moth set to music.
Mike do you mean Valerian officionalis (see http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerian_(herb) )? It is just that both you and Saskia have a lot of the confusingly named ‘red valerian’ in your gardens, which is not a valerian at all, but Centranthus ruber (see http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centranthus_ruber ).
(Pictured the pink form of the confusingly named ‘red valerian’ which botanically is not a valerian)
Our ‘red valerian’ (which also comes in pink and white) has been the cause of a number of arguments with visitors from non-English speaking countries, who have asked me what it is called. They then disagree when I try to say it is a valerian.
I saw one in the Legion garden on Sunday afternoon and yes it was buzzing round the red valerian
Peter, thanks for your correction to my incorrect naming of red valerian. Delighted to know Saskia has seen it regularly over the years; also adding useful information. Mike R
Peter, my -aging- Collins guide of Wild Flowers actually list it with its Latin name of Centranthus ruber (fam. Valerianaceae) and common name ‘Red Valerian’. No wonder I am confused…. You are right in saying that it is not Valeriana officicinalis, which is the Common valerian, favouring quite different growing conditions.
Oh, well, back to my cup of tea.
PS: one of the visitors last Sunday casually called the plant a ‘weed’, but as it attracts a lot of butterflies, I will leave it where it is.