Macroglossum trochilus

Macroglossum trochilus

The African Hummingbird Hawk-Moth is a moth of the Sphingidae family. It is very common in most habitats throughout southern and eastern Africa and in the Comoro Islands.

Adults are frequently seen at flowers in full sunshine.

The length of the forewings is 15–18 mm. The antennae are blackish. The head and thorax are pale olive above and very pale buff below. The abdomen is pale olive above and orange laterally. The posterior segments are darker dorsally, with a yellow distal fringe. The anal fan is very dark brown, tipped with buff. The small lateral tufts are dark brown and white.
The abdomen is reddish brown below. The forewings are brown with a series of darker transverse bands. The hindwings are orange with a very broad dark reddish brown border. Both wings are brownish red below.
Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionArthropoda
ClassInsecta
OrderLepidoptera
FamilySphingidae
GenusMacroglossum
SpeciesM. trochilus
Photographed in
South Africa