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Species Hemaris diffinis - Snowberry Clearwing - Hodges#7855

Snowberry Clearwing - Hemaris diffinis Hummingbird Moth - Hemaris diffinis large bee-like moth - Hemaris diffinis Snowberry Clearwing Moth - Hemaris diffinis Butterfly bush bug - Hemaris diffinis Unidentified insect 0912201902 - Hemaris diffinis Hemaris diffinis Snowberry Clearwing - Hemaris diffinis
Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Bombycoidea (Silkworm, Sphinx, and Royal Moths)
Family Sphingidae (Sphinx Moths)
Subfamily Macroglossinae
Tribe Dilophonotini
Genus Hemaris
Species diffinis (Snowberry Clearwing - Hodges#7855)
Hodges Number
7855
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Hemaris diffinis (Boisduval, 1836)
Explanation of Names
Probably derived from post-classical Latin: there is a verb diffinio "to terminate", and the prefix dis- regularly changes to dif- when added to a word that starts with "f". No direct evidence found yet of its exact meaning
Size
Wingspan 35-50 mm
Larva to 45 mm
Identification
Adult: forewing clear area lacks partial crossband of dark scales near base; legs black; underside mostly black.
   

Larva: body usually green with black spots encircling spiracles, "leading edge of thorax yellow, with prominent granules, extended over back of head. Horn long, yellow at base, black from middle to apex."(1) A brown form also occurs.
   
Range
Much of North America except Alaska, Yukon, Nunavut, and Newfoundland. However, as of 2009, all Hemaris diffinis (Hodges # 7855) at BugGuide from west of the Continental Divide should be moved to this newly elevated species. In some places just east of the Divide (Colorado, Alberta) overlap of ranges is known and specific identity becomes problematical when based on photographs. (2)
Habitat
Edges, fields with flowers. Adults feed actively on flower nectar during the day while hovering at blossoms.
Season
Adults fly from March to September (two broods) in the south; shorter season in the north.
Food
Adults feed on flower nectar. See Life Cycle for larval food.
Life Cycle
Two generations per year. Larvae feed on dogbane (Apocynum), honeysuckle (Lonicera), bush honeysuckle (Diervilla), and snowberry (Symphoricarpos). In Piedmont, North Carolina, seem to prefer the native Coral Honeysuckle, Lonicera sempervirens.
1. egg. 2. first instar. 3 and 4 later instars. 5. pupa.
Remarks
Interesting behavior:
See Also
Hummingbird Clearwing (Hemaris thysbe) forewing clear area has partial crossband of dark scales near base, and legs are pale/whitish
   
Slender Clearwing (Hemaris gracilis) forewing clear area has partial crossband of dark scales near base, and legs are reddish
   
Print References
Wagner, p. 267 (1)
Covell, p. 40, plate 6 #19 (3)
Himmelman, plate C-4, photo of adult (4)
Salsbury, p. 326--photo of specimen, adult (5)
Works Cited
1.Caterpillars of Eastern North America
David L. Wagner. 2005. Princeton University Press.
2.Hemaris thetis (Boisduval, 1855) (Sphingidae) is a Distinct Species
B. Christian Schmidt. 2009. Journal of the Lepidopterists Society 63(2), 2009, 100-109.
3.Peterson Field Guides: Eastern Moths
Charles V. Covell. 1984. Houghton Mifflin Company.
4.Discovering Moths: Nighttime Jewels in Your Own Backyard
John Himmelman. 2002. Down East Books.
5.Insects in Kansas
Glenn A. Salsbury and Stephan C. White. 2000. Kansas Dept. of Agriculture.