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 265 - 288 of 1977 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 25, 2021
Submitted by: jwilkinson
Region: Howard County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 12, 2021
Observation date: Jul 12, 2021
Submitted by: jenni_beth
Region: Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 12, 2021
Observation date: Jul 05, 2021
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 11, 2021
Observation date: Jul 11, 2021
Submitted by: Mendrola
Region: Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 11, 2021
Observation date: Jul 01, 2021
Submitted by: Kzfisherman
Region: McHenry County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 10, 2021
Observation date: Jul 06, 2021
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 07, 2021
Observation date: Jul 07, 2021
Submitted by: HillsideComplex
Region: Clark County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 07, 2021
Observation date: Jun 20, 2021
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 06, 2021
Observation date: Jul 01, 2021
Submitted by: Kbaird
Region: St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 06, 2021
Observation date: Jun 30, 2021
Submitted by: Meadowlark1022
Region: Newton County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jul 06, 2021
Observation date: Jul 02, 2021
Submitted by: JMJaskula
Region: Newton County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 05, 2021
Observation date: Jul 04, 2021
Submitted by: Sassy__lemon
Region: Marshall County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 04, 2021
Observation date: Jun 18, 2021
Submitted by: Wittigs
Region: Texas, Travis County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 26, 2021
Observation date: Jun 20, 2021
Submitted by: cel1gas
Region: New Brunswick, Canada
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jun 22, 2021
Observation date: Jun 17, 2021
Submitted by: bshettler
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Jun 21, 2021
Observation date: Jun 06, 2021
Submitted by: Jess D
Region: Paulding County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jun 12, 2021
Observation date: Jun 09, 2021
Submitted by: dawittrock2231
Region: Vilas County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Jun 10, 2021
Observation date: May 29, 2021
Submitted by: Farrahphillips
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 03, 2021
Observation date: May 05, 2021
Submitted by: HGrasser
Region: Chesapeake, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 06, 2021
Observation date: Apr 20, 2021
Submitted by: kbeza31979
Region: Louisa County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 26, 2021
Observation date: Jul 30, 2017
Submitted by: Naz
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Mar 17, 2021
Observation date: Jun 05, 2019
Submitted by: Naturetreker
Region: Klamath County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Mar 14, 2021
Observation date: Jun 12, 2020
Submitted by: Bob Saunders
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Mar 11, 2021
Observation date: Aug 02, 2019
Submitted by: bailiffa
Region: York County, Maine, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Feb 21, 2021
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