A hummingbird clearwing moth (Hemaris thysbe) hovering by a flower
I still remember the first time I saw a hummingbird moth and learned it was an insect and not a bird. Similar to how a hummingbird has a small body for a bird, a hummingbird moth has a large body for a moth. And so the two end up very similar in size, flying in somewhat similar ways, both making similar sounds, and feeding around similar plants. It’s no wonder then, is it, that we mistake them? And yet, they are so very different.
The hummingbird moth we’re looking at today is called a hummingbird clearwing (Hemaris thysbe). It’s not the only clearwing in this area and looks very similar to the Snowberry clearwing (Hemaris diffinis). But the hummingbird clearwing has more red on its wings and lower body, and its legs are pale colored. The Snowberry clearwing has black legs, and also a dark band around its eyes and across its sides. They both can have a greenish toned thorax and a darker abdomen which almost appear to be covered in fur, contributing to their resemblance to hummingbirds.
A hummingbird clearwing moth (Hemaris thysbe) gathering nectar from flowers
These moths are wonderful flyers and a joy to watch as they flit from flower to flower feeding on the nectar. They have an extraordinarily long tongue that lets them feed from flowers some insects are unable to. But the flowers in these photos, which I believe are beebalm, don’t present much challenge to hummingbird moths or other insects.
Trying to photograph hummingbird moths can be a real challenge as they’re fast movers, and their wings are almost never still. I do wonder what they’d look like if they ever landed to rest, but I’ve only ever seen them in flight. I was fortunate to capture a couple nice views, showing details on their back, sides and wings. Look closely and you can see the clear portions of their wings that explain the clearwing part of their name. You can also see the long tongue extended into the flower.
Have you ever encountered hummingbird moths? Are they common in your area?
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