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 289 - 312 of 1978 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 02, 2019
Submitted by: bailiffa
Region: York County, Maine, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Feb 21, 2021
Observation date: Aug 26, 2019
Submitted by: gjkoppel
Region: York County, Maine, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Feb 20, 2021
Observation date: Sep 01, 2018
Submitted by: CincyJeff
Region: Clermont County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: Ohio97
Verified date: Feb 20, 2021
Observation date: Aug 26, 2020
Submitted by: Ristich54
Region: Cumberland County, Maine, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Feb 14, 2021
Observation date: Jul 18, 2018
Submitted by: dandroste
Region: Genesee County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 07, 2021
Observation date: Aug 09, 2018
Submitted by: MattCD
Region: Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 06, 2021
Observation date: Jun 10, 2017
Submitted by: gratiotlake
Region: Keweenaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 06, 2021
Observation date: Jul 20, 2014
Submitted by: jsherman
Region: Oakland County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 05, 2021
Observation date: Aug 02, 2020
Submitted by: Daredevil
Region: Niagara County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Feb 04, 2021
Observation date: Jun 27, 2019
Submitted by: Michiganbirder19
Region: Genesee County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 03, 2021
Observation date: Aug 10, 2019
Submitted by: Craig M Lipski
Region: Livingston County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 02, 2021
Observation date: Aug 11, 2019
Submitted by: John429
Region: Jackson County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 02, 2021
Observation date: Mar 27, 2020
Submitted by: dfhunter41
Region: Luce County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 02, 2021
Observation date: Jul 14, 2020
Submitted by: beastbreath
Region: Ingham County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 01, 2021
Observation date: Jul 24, 2020
Submitted by: John Daugherty
Region: Benzie County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 01, 2021
Observation date: Aug 02, 2020
Submitted by: msteers
Region: Oakland County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 01, 2021
Observation date: Jul 31, 2020
Submitted by: MikkiCE
Region: Brown County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Jan 27, 2021
Observation date: Aug 03, 2008
Submitted by: Dwaine Wagoner
Region: Natrona County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jan 18, 2021
Observation date: Oct 13, 2016
Submitted by: Birdlover6
Region: Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 15, 2021
Observation date: Sep 17, 2020
Submitted by: ian pepper
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jan 11, 2021
Observation date: Jul 13, 2019
Submitted by: horzelver
Region: Sauk County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jan 09, 2021
Observation date: Aug 23, 2016
Submitted by: mcareyruo
Region: Providence County, Rhode Island, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 08, 2021
Observation date: Sep 09, 2019
Submitted by: Hill76crest
Region: Bristol County, Rhode Island, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 07, 2021
Observation date: Jun 18, 2019
Submitted by: kathy.wiederholt
Region: Foster County, North Dakota, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Dec 26, 2020
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