Hummingbird Moth feeding on flowers

Beautiful Hummingbird Moth feeding on flowers here in Colebrook New Hampshire.
They are the most amazing 'bug' I've ever seen, and I still can't believe that they're actually called insects. I understand there are criteria the creature meets that earn that term. But, I mean, look at it. This is not the kind of thing you brush at frantically when discovering it on your arm. It has the type of beauty that can make people stop in their tracks just to watch.Show more

One day, as I was leaving the house to run errands, I caught sight of what I thought was a hummingbird visiting some wildflowers blooming at the front of our house. I tiptoed up the steps and grabbed my camera, with my husband right behind me once I'd mentioned the word hummingbird. Once outside, I began snapping photos of what I believed was a bird. That is until Jim told me it was a hummingbird moth. I'd never heard of such a thing, but it was so beautiful, that I couldn't stop taking pictures until it flew off to find another bunch of flowers.