Friday, September 2, 2016

Snowberry clearwing moth

We've got lots of flowers in bloom right now. So when I saw the lantanas in our front yard busting out, I figured I'd wander over and see what I might see. It didn't take long before I found this snowberry clearwing moth (Hemaris diffinis) at rest on a flower. (Fortunately, I had my point-and-shoot with me.) It didn't budge at all when James held the stem still for me (the wind was blowing). Maybe it had recently emerged from its cocoon? 

Isn't it pretty? This species is a bumblebee mimic. Here's a short article I wrote on these moths for Texas Parks & Wildlife, "The Enigma of the Clearwing Moth."  



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