Snowberry Clearwing Moth (Hemaris diffinis)

Snowberry Clearwing Moth (Hemaris diffinis)

I finally found a Snowberry Clearwing Moth at rest and was able to get a clear photo of its wings.
To be honest, judging from its wear and fade, I suspect this moth was beyond resting and was very nearly to the point of eternal slumber. It still moved, but stayed in the same location for several hours. The moth was gone the next morning, but did it fly away or was it eaten? We will never know.

Previous post with Snowberry Clearwing nectaring on Bee Balm.

Snowberry Clearwing Moth (Hemaris diffinis)

Snowberry Clearwing Moth (Hemaris diffinis)

Nectaring on Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa) on 6/22/08.

Snowberry Clearwing Moth (Hemaris diffinis)

It's only taken two years and an astronomical number of deleted pixels to get a halfway decent shot of one of these clearwing moths. I see them every year, though we do seem to have a larger than usual population this year. Seeing them and getting a photograph are two entirely different matters, though. I've never seen one at rest, but always in constant motion as they move from flower to flower.

Adults are said to mimic bumblebees, but except for the coloration, I don't really see the comparison. They feed during the day and are found throughout most of the United States and western Canada.

Thanks to Bobby Grizzard on BugGuide for confirming this ID.



On Slender Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium) 7/2/08

Sources and Additional Information:

Species Page on BugGuide
Species details from Butterflies and Moths of North America
Images of pinned specimens from Moths of Maryland

Snowberry Clearwing Moth (Hemaris diffinis)