Snowberry Clearwing
Hemaris diffinis (Boisduval, 1836)
Family: Sphingidae
Subfamily: Macroglossinae
Identification: Adults are quite variable in appearance; Bumblebee mimic. The thorax is golden or olive-golden in color, abdomen is black dorsally with 1-2 segments just prior to terminal end being yellow to various extent, while black ventrally. H. diffinis is the only eastern species to exhibit blue abdominal tufts on the first black segment in some freshly emerged specimens. Wings mostly clear with reddish brown terminal borders and dark scaling along veins. While wing maculation is too variable to be 100% diagnostic, diffinis typically has very thin terminal borders and the discal cell is elongate and without scales. However, diffinis can always be distinguished from gracilis and thysbe by two diagnostic characteristics: 1) the black band that crosses the eye and travels down the lateral side of the thorax; 2) diffinis always has black legs.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 2 inches (3.2 - 5 cm).
Life History: Adults fly swiftly during the day. Caterpillars pupate in cocoons spun in leaf litter on the ground.
Flight: Two broods from March-August.
Caterpillar Hosts: Snowberry (Symphoricarpos), honeysuckle (Lonicera), dogbane (Apocynum), and dwarf bush honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including lantana, dwarf bush honeysuckle, snowberry, orange hawkweed, thistles, lilac, and Canada violet.
Habitat: A wide variety of open habitats, streamsides, fields, gardens, and suburbs.
Range: East of the Continental Divide, through most of the United States to Maine and Florida. Some overlap with Hemaris thetis just east of the Divide.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: new description from coordinator Jason D. Roberts added 8/2009.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 241 - 264 of 1977 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 31, 2021
Submitted by: leansuzan
Region: Macomb County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Aug 03, 2021
Observation date: Aug 02, 2021
Submitted by: charlip218
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 03, 2021
Observation date: Jul 26, 2021
Submitted by: S_Gucciardo
Region: Washington County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 01, 2021
Observation date: Jul 25, 2021
Submitted by: Bkripto
Region: Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 26, 2021
Observation date: Jul 22, 2021
Submitted by: plawryniuk
Region: Newport News, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 24, 2021
Observation date: Jul 24, 2021
Submitted by: RMarkows
Region: Nassau County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jul 24, 2021
Observation date: Jul 23, 2021
Submitted by: gjkoppel
Region: Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 24, 2021
Observation date: Jul 23, 2021
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 24, 2021
Observation date: Jul 17, 2021
Submitted by: wanderer76
Region: Ohio County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 21, 2021
Observation date: Jul 20, 2021
Submitted by: charlip218
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 21, 2021
Observation date: Jul 19, 2021
Submitted by: rmery
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 20, 2021
Observation date: Jul 19, 2021
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 19, 2021
Observation date: Jun 28, 2021
Submitted by: John Terpstra
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 18, 2021
Observation date: Jun 22, 2021
Submitted by: Cazzielou
Region: Accomack County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 18, 2021
Observation date: Jul 18, 2021
Submitted by: Victoria Molnar
Region: New Kent County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 18, 2021
Observation date: Jul 18, 2021
Submitted by: Colleen K
Region: Robertson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 18, 2021
Observation date: Jul 18, 2021
Submitted by: jwileyrains
Region: Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 18, 2021
Observation date: Jul 17, 2021
Submitted by: Campbell8510
Region: Winnebago County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 17, 2021
Observation date: Jul 16, 2021
Submitted by: lantana
Region: Suffolk County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jul 17, 2021
Observation date: Jun 12, 2021
Submitted by: aarongunnar
Region: Jefferson County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jul 16, 2021
Observation date: Jul 04, 2021
Submitted by: alaimins
Region: DuPage County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 14, 2021
Observation date: Jul 09, 2021
Submitted by: alaimins
Region: DuPage County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 14, 2021
Observation date: Jul 08, 2021
Submitted by: ammerr29
Region: Ramsey County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Jul 12, 2021
Observation date: Jun 26, 2021
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 12, 2021
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