KEEN Herefordshire photographers have managed to capture amazing images of a rare visitor to the county.

Bob Rees, who lives in Tupsley, and Andrew Edwards, from Little Hereford, have both succeeded in snapping a humming bird moth feeding on nectar.

Bob was surprised to see the migratory insect - also known as Macrogrossum Stellatarum - in his garden and was quick to snap it in action.

"The moth is generally a visitor to this country between the beginning of June and the end of August so to see it now is quite special and I just happened to see it buzzing round the flowers," Bob said.

"It's a big insect, nearly two inches long, and a lot of people mistake them for humming birds. It migrates from southern Europe and is reputed to travel up to 100 miles a day, which is a big journey for a moth."

Bob, who has been taking photos for 40 years, took the shot on his digital camera, which allowed him to take the photograph against the odds.

"The moth was going that quick that there was no way I thought I would get a picture of it but I blasted off a few shots to try to get it. The beauty of a digital is you can just fire away and delete what you don't like," Bob said.

Andrew Edwards also noticed the exotic guests in Little Hereford. "I noticed two rare humming bird moths flying around a white flowering butterfly bush," he said.

"The weather was clear, sunny and windy and I took the pictures with my single lens reflex camera."