Bug FAQAfrican Hummingbird Hawkmoth
Macroglossum trochilus · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Sphingidae
The African hummingbird hawk-moth has forewings 15 to 18 mm long. It is very common in many habitats throughout southern and eastern Africa and the Comoro Islands, and adults are often seen at flowers in full sunshine.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Macroglossum trochilus, the African hummingbird hawk-moth, belongs to the family Sphingidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The forewings measure about 15 to 18 mm in length.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
When the pupa is disturbed, its tail moves, possibly as a defensive reaction.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range includes southern and eastern Africa and the Comoro Islands.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
Where are African hummingbird hawk-moths found?
They are very common in many habitats throughout southern and eastern Africa and the Comoro Islands, often seen feeding at sunny flowers.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Sphingidae)
White-lined SphinxHyles lineataDamages trees, gardens or crops
Eurasian Hummingbird HawkmothMacroglossum stellatarum
Snowberry ClearwingHemaris diffinis
Carolina SphinxManduca sextaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Hummingbird ClearwingHemaris thysbeDamages trees, gardens or crops
Elephant HawkmothDeilephila elpenorSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macroglossum_trochilus
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.