Hummingbird Hawk-Moth vs Flower Bug

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Hummingbird Hawk-Moth Flower Bug
Scientific Name Macroglossum stellatarum Orius insidiosus
Order Lepidoptera Hemiptera
Family Sphingidae Anthocoridae
Size 40-50 mm wingspan 2-3 mm
Habitat Underground Underground
Diet Nectar Feeders Predators
Regions Europe, Asia, Africa North and South America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Hummingbird Hawk-Moth

A day-flying moth that hovers at flowers and produces an audible hum, almost perfectly mimicking a hummingbird. Has exceptional visual memory for flower locations.

💡

Did You Know?

This moth can remember the locations of hundreds of individual flowers and times its visits to when nectar is replenished — a memory feat unmatched by most insects.

Flower Bug

A tiny predatory bug widely used in biological pest control against thrips and aphids. Despite its small size it is a voracious predator consuming dozens of prey daily.

💡

Did You Know?

It is commercially mass-reared and sold to greenhouse growers as a living pesticide.