Beetles

06/02/11
Newsletter Topics

#1 - Tips of the Week

#3 - Needle Drop

#5 - Seedy Lawns

#2 -Rhubarb

#4 - Pygmy Hummingbirds

#6 - Leaf Spot

Pygmy Hummingbirds?

Taken from the B.Y.G.L. (Buckeye Yard and Garden Online) Newsletter
Contributing Authors: Pam Bennett, Joe Boggs, Cindy Meyer, Jim Chatfield, Erik Draper, Dave Dyke, Gary Gao,
David Goerig, Tim Malinich, Becky McCann, Bridget Meiring, Amy Stone and Curtis Young

Joe Boggs reported observing a hummingbird moth zipping around the Boggscape over the weekend which seemed unusual since sightings of these moths typically occur much later in the season. However, there are several species of day-flying moths in the family Sphingidae (Sphinx moths) that are commonly called hummingbird moths. They buzz and hover exactly like miniature hummingbirds, and they share with their avian namesake a fondness for deep throated pink and red flowers. The moths lap nectar using a long, coiled proboscis rather than a long, pointed beak.

The largest of these fast-flying moths is the HUMMINGBIRD CLEARWING (Hemaris thysbe). This moth has a greenish body and a dark reddish-brown band near the back of the body. Its wing-span is nearly 2" and the wings are almost devoid of scales, thus the common name. A less common species is the SLENDER CLEARING (Hemaris gracilus), which is slightly smaller than the hummingbird clearwing. This moth also has a more yellow body and a gold ring between the yellow portion and the dark band near the abdomen.

Another Sphinx moth that looks like something that it's not is the SNOWBERRY CLEARWING (Hemaris diffinis). The moth has the size and coloring of a bumble bee, and a wing-span of 1 1/4". Although they don't land on a flower like bees, most people are not willing to get close enough to notice the difference! Like all Sphinx moths, the caterpillars of these moths are called "hornworms" because of a horn-like projection on top of their posterior end. However, none of these species are considered pests since they feed on such things as honeysuckle, Virginia creeper, and other plants that are generally considered weeds.