A moth in hummingbird's clothing

Nature is full of trickery. There are plants that look like animals, animals that look like plants, and a million different camouflages and patterns to keep predators away. The great impostor in the hummingbird world is the hummingbird moth (also called bee months in Europe where hummingbirds do not live).

If you live in the United States and are amazed to see the tiniest hummingbird in your garden, chances are you're really seeing the hummingbird moth. Often mis-sited as the Bee Hummingbird (the world's smallest bird - found in Cuba only), the hummingbird moth has the look and behaviour to fool the sharpest eye into thinking it's a miniature hummingbird.


One of the tricks of the hummingbird moth, unlike other moths, is that it thrives and feeds in daylight. They live on nectar, similar to hummingbirds, and will hover over the same flowers hummers like (honeysuckle, trumpet vine, lilac, bee balm, etc). They extract the nectar through their proboscis, which combined with their body length and coloring, is easily confused as a beak.

Hummingbird moths have similar colors in their bodies as hummingbirds, but their pattern differences are the dead-giveaway. Moths like the Clearwing Hummingbird Moth (pictured above) have red/brown bands across their abdomens, and there are tufts of hair that look feather like. Hummingbirds don't have stripes like these, instead their color is typically concentrated on their throat, wings, sometimes with solid iridescent color on their back.

Hummingbirds are also much more skittish than their aping moths. Chances are you'll be able to sneak up on a moth but not a true hummer.

Although the idea of "baby" or Bee hummingbirds in your garden maybe exciting, if you do see a hummingbird moth instead don't be disheartened. They are truly fascinating creatures and still fun to watch flitting from flower to flower. And the fact that you're attracting another nectar-loving creature to your yard is a positive! Maybe one morning you'll be happily surprised by a real hummer visit.

BANG #2 - bugging out.

"Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home

Your house is on fire and your children are gone

All except one, and that's Little Anne

For she has crept under the warming pan."

Quite possibly the most charming insects ever - the ladybug can bring new life to a dying garden.

Last year I was plagued with aphids in my garden. I had bought two burning bushes for my front yard the fall before, excited to have the bright red leaves bring drama and beauty to my yard the next year. Unfortunately I miss interpreted an aphid infestion in Spring last year and my poor burning bushes paid the price.

By June the leaves were getting eaten away, and nearby roses started showing signs of unwelcome munchers too. When all the trees in my neighborhood were turning fiery autumn colors my burning bushes looked like they were burnt. Most the leaves were gone, and the sad spikes of the bushes arms were bare and lonely. It was the saddest sight.

So this year, as part of my BANG initiative (Be A Natural Gardener), I'm bringing in reinforcements! Ladybugs may be portrayed as sweet English ladies in cartoons (I always picture the one from "James and the Giant Peach"), but trust me they are lethal aphid killers! And as a natural and eco-friendly option to pesticide, ladybugs are a welcome addition to my garden plan.

As an extra bonus, I grew up believing that when a ladybug lands on you it'll bring you good luck. Bringing a batch of ladybugs into your garden will definitely up the odds for a lucky 2009!

Start the year off with a BANG!

I've decided to put my money where my mouth is this year and help my little corner of the planet thrive. This is the year I'm going to Be A Natural Gardener.

BANG - is a new idea I've had, yet an old idea to many conservationists. Being a Natural Gardener is recycling, reusing, reducing, reimagining, recreating. It's using ordinary objects in extraordinary ways and rethinking the part you play in the environment around you. It can be personal & political, local & global, absolutely practical & totally crazy. It's the KISS (keep it simple, stupid) principle for your backyard.

I can't wait to start BANGing out the old and unnecessary in my life, and as Lau-tzu says "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step".

So here's BANG Step 1.

START COLLECTING RAINFALL.

My best friend started using a rain barrel last year, and the water she's saved for watering her backyard garden has been incredible! During a heavy rain her barrel would fill up in just minutes, as the rain falling on the entire area of her roof would get funneled down drains and downspouts. Only about 1/4 inch of rainfall can be collected to a little over 200 gallons of water! Not too shabby! Bonus: rain water is soft water. Soft water is the best for plants, as the oxygen levels are better and there's no chlorine or other nasty chemicals necessary in tap/drinking water. For an HGTV how-to check out this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGFDlkJOdaM

In this time of economic topsy-turvy it's only fitting to really consider what you're putting your time/money/energy into and if it's paying off in the fullest way environmentally, morally, ethically, and especially FINANCIALLY. It's never been trendier to be a spendthrift (Suze Orman tells me this all the time) so I'm cutting back and cutting out the things that are wasting my resources.

If you want to try to BANG, I lend you my full support. Check back here for more ideas on how to BANG, and use BANG as a special savings code (1/2 off shipping) on your next SweetBeak.com order!