Perhaps a rufous? They're uncommon here in the east, but not unheard of. Does it look anything like this?

Here's another pic...I realized that one above makes the throat look like a ruby's (but I think that's just the light refraction...these can look glowing in the right light too).

P.S.--Apologies to the original owners I'm linking to...I have no pics of a rufous.

"small brown hummingbird" + "loves lantana" + "in the dusk around the flowers" = SPHINX MOTH

Here is a link that might be useful: Sphinx Moths

My guess also is a sphinx moth commonly called a Hummingbird Moth.

Penny

Huh...I didn't realize sphinx moths got as large as a person's thumb. What devious insects!

This will probably upset some folks on the Butterfly Forum, but if you can, kill it. It's larvae feed on the leaves and fruit of the Nightshade family (tomato, pepper, eggplant).

Another clue for you. It doesn't sit on a wall like a moth would. The "hummingbird" sits on a branch like a regualr bird would.

Can you get a picture?

one in a million chance of getting a picture. I see them only a few times a year, sometimes more. I have taken to caring my camera around and will try though. I have only ever seen them right before dusk.

I vote sphinx moth. I wouldn't kill them though.

It could also be a clearwing moth, which is a different species from the sphinx moth.

BN

Sphinx is the family of which the clearwing moth (aka clearwing sphinx) is a member.

Here is a link that might be useful: SPHINX, CLEARWING AND HAWK MOTHS-Family Sphingidae

People! People! People! Please check out the link I'm sending which has pics of a few hummingbird moths. The pic Buckmaster has posted is clearly a Hummingbird and NOT a hummingbird moth.

http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/hthysbe.htm

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/hthysbe.htm

kdolady, people were not IDing my pictures...they were trying to ID the original poster's description. I have to admit it seems a sphinx moth is the most likely candidate...I only posted those pictures to try to give the OP a visual reference. Sorry for the confusion.

Just had one on our lantana, I have never seen this before. We thought it was a really small hummingbird. Tried to get a picture of it but it was faster than we were. It was very dark, black with a strip of yellow on it's tail. After checking the web, I do believe it is a moth. We live in Lehigh Acres, outside of Fort Myers. It was no more than 1" long. Will have to see if it comes back.

Postlethwait,

Did it look like this one at the link below?

Here is a link that might be useful: Amphion floridensis

Are you kidding??? This beautiful little thing is a rufous hummingbird, not very often seen in Florida. I sure hope it moved on before someone tried to kill it thinking it was a moth!!!

Why would someone kill that moth? They are great moths, lovely to look at!!!! My bet is it is the moth, I clipped this post years ago, because they are such great pictures of this moth!!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: Moth

I see little brown hummingbirds at dusk around my plumbago. We don't see them often. They are not a moth as some have suggested. I hope the original poster can capture a picture.