Hummingbird Clearwing Moth by MIchelle D. Land

You have to be quick to capture a photo of a feeding Hummingbird Clearwing, as Professor Michelle D. Land learned when she grabbed this fleeting image for the blog Pace Takes New York, curated by Professor Michael Finewood. Often mistaken for a hummingbird due to its appearance and habits, the Hummingbird Clearwing (Hemaris thysbe) is in fact a moth that is widespread in North America, ranging from Alaska to Florida, including here in the Hudson Valley. It spends the day searching for nectar-bearing Honeysuckle (Lonicera), snowberry (Symphoricarpos), hawthorns (Crataegus), cherries and plums (Prunus), and European cranberry bush (Viburnum opulus) in open and second-growth habitats, gardens, and suburbs, according to Butterflies and Moths of North America. For more information on the Hummingbird Clearwing, you can also visit the USDA website.