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Hummingbirds of Moanalua Valley
Posted: December 19, 2008
After my climb to the 2,820 foot summit of Keahiakahoe by way of Tripler Ridge, I returned via the Powerline Trail so I could look for hummingbirds I thought I saw along the old road in the very back of Moanalua Valley earlier in the morning.
When I made my way into the valley first thing in the morning, I saw flashes of orange and brown in the corner of my eyes which looked like hummingbirds. I decided that a return-trip by way of the Powerline Trail would allow me to search along the entire length of the old carriage road and increase my chances of seeing them again.
Since it had rained earlier in the day when I went to see the lobelias at the summit of Keahiakahoe, the descent on the Powerline Trail was more slippery and treacherous than usual. Fortunately, there were several ropes along the way to assist in the steep descent and I made my way down to the road without incident.
After passing a number of bends in the long road and passing the stream several times, I saw them again! Flashes of orange and brown with black and white accents hovered for a mere fraction of a second before darting off to the next flower!
While these creatures look like miniature hummingbirds just under an inch long they are actually moths (Macroglossum pyrrhosticta), appropriately given the name “hummingbird moths”. Hawaii does not have hummingbirds — neither native nor introduced.
Hummingbird moths are extremely fast and beat their wings at what must be well over a thousand times per second. Using a camera shutter speed of 1/200th of a second, their wings are still a blur.
Hummingbird moths dart so quickly from flower to flower that you have to anticipate where they will be in order to photograph them. You have but a mere fraction of a second to snap the camera shutter as they hover to sip on nectar.
Hummingbird moths have a long thin probiscus, which they insert into flowers to sip nectar. These moths are also known as maile pilau hornworms after the host plant their catepillars prefer.
After the excitement of seeing these amazing creatures faded I reached the large boulder in Moanalua Valley about 12 feet long by 8 feet wide which has several petroglyphs and a konane board carved on its surface. Known as “Pohaku ka lua hine”, the boulder is a sacred akua which according to tradition could take the form of a stone or bird.
Continuing on the old carriage road, I made my way past the 6 stone bridges until I reached returned to Moanalua Valley Neighborhood Park where I started my hike. As I drove home for the day I reflected on my great fortune at seeing the hummingbird moths of Moanalua Valley. What a great hike!
–
SOURCES
Hawaiian Insects and Their Kin By Francis G. Howarth, William P. Mull
Macroglossum pyrrhosticta, Insects of Hawaii, Hawaii Ecosystems at Risk
Sites of Oahu, Elspeth P. Sterling and Catherine C. Summers, Bishop Museum Press, 1978, pg 337
i saw the hummingbird moth in my backyard a few days ago (Kaaawa). it was in the late afternoon before dusk. thank you for this article. i did think it was a tiny hummingbird at first, but it was so small. thank you for sharing that Hawaii does not have hummingbirds. i was going to set up a hummingbird feeder and would have been so disappointed.
thank you for the 1derful sharing here.
Dawnetta and i, my g.f. ,saw one maybe 2-last night in her yard around a butterfly tree. Kekaha,Kaua’i
1 was full grown , the other tiny and much more mothlike
we,too have hiked the ridge in your article.we’ve yet to descend the to the raod or the rest of the trail init’s entirety.
have you hiked the entire trail ?
I also have seen these but in my backyard in Mililiani Mauka. They seem to love the flowers from the spectacular Puakinikini trees I have in the corners of my yard. I actually saw a flurry of several at once. I was floored as I have never seen these before and lived in Hawaii most of my life.
Until I read this and a couple of article prior to, I thought the couple that visit my front porch every night were humming birds as well. Then I remembered reading that there are no humming birds in Hawaii, so I though someone must have their facts wrong. I’ve actually been able to photograph them and capture the wings in stop motion. They don’t seem to mind being photographed.
Ours are noctornal, we only see them at night around the same time…which I guess supports the fact that they are moths and not birds because all of our birds here are sleep when our visitors arrive. I guess that means these moths have no natural enemies here either.
Since they’re so rare, we consider ourselves luck to have our nightly guests. Does anyone see them during the day?
Early two nights ago here on Oahu in Hawaii Kai, I had the good fortune to see one
of these wonderful little creatures just a few from where I was sitting. It was going
from flower to flower on a Hibiscus bush. This little one was just about the size
of a hummingbird and at first I thought it was until I remembered that Hawaii
doesn’t have them.
Saw a hummingbird moth today in my garden in Kahaluu (Ahuimanu) buzzing around feeding from a purpleflowered bush- sorry dont know the name- at about 1530…I am from the east coast where we have hummngbirds and thought it was one. Came in and googled it and found out hawaii does not have hummingbirds…isn’t convergent evolution grand!!!!
For the last several early mornings while sitting on our lanai by a boganvilla bush we have enjoyed watching what we were sure was a tiny hummingbird, which turns out to be a moth. Well, how interesting! thanks for the clarification.
Moved to Miloli’i on the Big Island from the mainland about 6 months ago and brought our hummingbird feeder with us. Today @ 12:30 pm the creature visited our gardenia bush (in full bloom). It alternately looked like a moth and a tiny red hummingbird. Your lovely website set the record straight. I may put up the feeder for the moth!
I saw one in Navy Housing by the airport and I will never forget it. During a “jammy walk” with my 2 year year old just after sunset, I saw it and when I looked at it, it turned and flew straight at my face! It then returned to its Plumeria dinner, I watched for about 5 seconds then it flew away. Very cool I was certain it was a Hummingbird.