Subject: moth, buterfly or other
Location: New York
July 8, 2012 7:30 pm
What kind of bug is this. It visited our butterfly bush this evening. It hovers like a hummingbird to feed. It is quick, wings translucent, Not afraid and stuck around for a while visiting different flowers on the bush. We live in New York on the Southern edge of the Catskill Mountains. Wings were clear but did have some red detailing in them.
Signature: bugman
Hi bugman,
Your first guess is correct. This is a Hummingbird Clearwing Moth, Hemaris thysbe, and you may verify that on Sphingidae of the Americas, the website devoted to new world species from your moth’s family. As moths go, Hummingbird Clearwings are very atypical. They are diurnal rather than flying at night. The are frequently mistaken for hummingbirds as they hover before flowers drinking nectar. Thanks for sending your wonderful photo.