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Project Noah Nature School
Hemaris thysbe and Hemaris diffinis
The first three pictures are of a Hummingbird Clearwing, which mimics a hummingbird. Pictured here also is a Snowberry Clearwing with no red on it (last two pictures). This one mimics a bee.
Found among a butterfly bush.
From what I gather, it's all in the taxonomic breakdown. The moths that Ashely took pics of are both of the genus Hemaris, which are collectively know as the Clearwings. This genus is in the family Sphingidae, which are know as the sphinx moths, hawk moths, and hornworms. In Britain, they refer to the three species of Hemaris as bee hawks. So you would not be wrong by calling them Snowberry hawk moths, but more specifically they are clearwings. There is a Eurasian species know as the Hummingbird hawk moth, Macroglossum stellatarum. Things like this are why I like the scientific names better!
Michael can you explain why none of these are called Hawkmoth? That is how I have learned them. Am I out of the loop?
In the first three pictures you have a Hummingbird Clearwing, and the last two pics are of a snowberry. The Snowberry mimics bees, while you can probably guess what the hummingbird clearwing mimics. You can tell them apart by size, thorax coloration and the wing coloration.
These are excellent pictures! I haven't seen any Hummingbird Clearwings yet this year.
Spotted on Jul 2, 2011
Submitted on Jul 3, 2011
