Hi Laurie...Where in MS do you live? I'm in Meridian!

The hummer was probably attracted to the red. I always assumed that hummers were attracted only to flowers that yielded sweet nectar, similar to what we put in feeders, but I'm sure no expert! Since I don't have but one or two hummer friendly plants, I have many feeders and tons of hummers now. They ignore the flowers and go straight to the feeders!

If you see the little bugger at the tomato, let us know!

Donna

The hummer could be eating fruit flies that would be hangin' around the injured tomato.

Hi Donna, I'm in the Tupelo area.
Good explanations from the both of you. I'll keep watching.
Laurie

The very first time I saw a hummingbird was at a cherry tomato plant growing in my neighbor's yard. I was enthralled at the sight of his humming about but he didn't land on the plant while I was there. I always figured he was attracted to the red color of the tomatoes.

Hummers eat insects, more than they eat nectar. I'd bet a hummer at the tomato was picking off gnats or bugs.

Its something to consider when selecting plants to attract birds, is that hummers eat lots of insects. Flowers that attract gnats and small flies get picked at by the hummers too.

I know this may not be correct, but just my 2 cents... sometimes, these big sphynx moths hang around at the tomatoes and lay eggs on them. Those are where tomato hornworms come from. Sphynx moths can look alot like hummingbirds with the rapid wingbeat, actually make a humming noise at plants, and are also about the same size but with more of a checker pattern in black or dark grey and white/ brown. I know I have seen both at my epidendrum orchid drinking nectar and the hummer pollinated some flowers.