clear wing spynix moth?
Hi, I love your site. While watching the honey bees enjoy the first nectar of the year, I spotted what looks like a petite clearwing sphinx moth. I’ve never seen or heard of one so small – smaller than a honey bee. After watching for a few days, I’ve seen there are several of the little guys visiting our flowers. These little fella’s have a rigid proboscis (is proboscis accurate?), and the largest of them are slightly less than 1 inch long (measuring from head to rear of abdomen). Please help me to accurately identify them. Thank you.
Rachel, West Virginia
Hi Rachel,
This is a Greater Bee Fly, Bombylius major. Proboscis is the proper term for its mouth.