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Plants
used by the adult Bumblebee Moth as a nectar source.
The
adult Bumblebee Moth will feed on their larval food plants,
honeysuckle and snowberry, for nectar. They also will get nectar
from milkweed, Monardella, and some thistles. Monardella is an
excellent garden plant for butterflies as well as Moths. It has
perennial and annual forms from white to purple flowers. It also
has a fresh minty scent.
The
Bumblebee Moth really likes these 'Pozo
blue' sages. I was
observing them for a couple of hours and they fed on this block
of 'Pozo Blue' sages in the nursery the whole time, hovering
around with the true bumblebees. They're really fast!
Bumblebee
Moth breeding
When
the female Bumblebee Moth is ready to mate she releases
pheromones to attract the male. You will not notice much other
than bees appear to be chasing each other all over the garden.
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The
Bumblebee Moth looks uncannily like a Bumblebee.
This
disguise is to dissuade any predators who might otherwise find
them a tasty treat. But when you look closer it has moth
characteristics. Although sparse it does have scales. The soft
and fuzzy looking ones on the top of the thorax are the most
obvious but there are also scales on the veins of the wings and
in a few cells. They also differ from Bumblebees in that they are
able to hover while feeding, unlike the Bumblebee (that must
land). Another interesting thing about this bee mimic is that it
is in the Sphinx Moth family (Sphingidae). This odd Moth flies
around and feeds during the day!
Plants
used by the Bumblebee Moth larva
The
Bumblebee Moth larva feeds on Snowberry
plants and honeysuckle primarily. Snowberry is a very drought
tolerant shrub that has pink flowers and snow white berries.
Our
native
honeysuckles are of the Genus Lonicera and are twining shrubs
rather than the aggressive vines found in most gardens.
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