It has finally turned into a warm enough spring here for the insects to come out.
The first interesting insect I saw was a hummingbird moth.
There are quite a number of different hummingbird moths. They get this common name because they fly exactly like a hummingbird hovering next to a flower to suck their nectar while flapping their wings so fast they are a blur.
This particular species is called a Nessus Sphinx (Amphion floridensis). The two stripes on the back and the little lobster tail are features of this species.
Look at that long tongue, quite similar to that of a hummingbird beak so it can reach into the wildflower where the sweet nectar is.
I have seen a number of different hummingbird moths around here but I usually don't have my zoom lens ready. Some of the species have clear wings and are different colors. Fortunately this one let me take photos, these wild flowers must be really tasty.
Honeysuckle is blooming now making the air smell amazing. The huge bumble bees are loving it.
The lilacs are also blooming attracting more bumble bees.
This bee looks slightly different than the honeysuckle bee, it seems to have an extra stripe on its abdomen and has some interesting greenish eyes. Maybe this is a type of carpenter bee.
As I was taking pictures of the bees I noticed a millipede walking right by my feet. I'm not sure what species it is but it does resemble the one named after Taylor Swift lol.
The six spotted tiger beetles (Cicindela sexguttata) are also out now. I was quick enough to catch this one and it actually stayed still long enough for a photo on my phone. Usually they fly off super quick and you just see a metallic green streak go by.
That's all for now, thanks for looking :-)