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Earlier this summer Kathy and Jim asked me to identify a visitor to their flowers. They have hummingbird feeders out and attract a number of these friendly fliers; however this other visitor had them puzzled. It looked somewhat like a small hummingbird, but yet didn’t quite fit the bill. Turns out it was a hummingbird moth.
There are several species of this type of moth and they move just like hummingbirds. They can remain suspended in front of a flower for extended periods of time as they unfurl their long tongues to sip the nectar. Their even emit a hum like a hummingbird as their wings beat rapidly. With their plump bodies and their tails that open like a fan, it is no wonder that people mistake them for small hummingbirds.
While most moths fly at night, hummingbird moths fly during the day. They have a very long tongue which rolls up under their chin. When uncoiled, they use it to feel on flowers, only staying at one for a short time before darting on to another. They will feed at a variety of flowers, including petunias, bee balm, butterfly bush, Joe-pye weed, phlox, honeysuckle, purple coneflower, and verbena.
Hummingbird moths have one to two generations per year. Although the adults will feed on a variety of flowers, the larvae are more particular. They lay their small round green eggs on the underside of the leaves of honeysuckle, viburnum, dogbane, or some members of the rose family such as hawthorn, cherries, and plums. The caterpillars, usually green, have a horn at the rear end and are well camouflaged among the leaves. The caterpillars resemble the tomato hornworm with their distinctive anal horn. However, they do not feed on the garden fare such as tomato, pepper, and eggplants. When they are fully-grown they drop to the ground, spin a dark, loose, thin-walled cocoon and pupate, partially protected by leaf litter. Hence, if you have seen these beauties in your garden, it would be wise to leave your leaf litter beneath the plants in which they overwinter.
The adults are typically seen in mid-summer and there are several species common to central Wisconsin. Hummingbird clearwing, Hemaris thysbe, is one of the most common. These moths have no scales on the wings except for a dark border around the edge, hence the name clearwing moths. They have an olive-green or tan body with reddish-brown bands across their abdomen and a wingspan of 1½ to 2¼ inches. Tufts of hairs from the end of the abdomen look a lot like feathers, making them look even more like hummingbirds.
The snowberry clearwing (Hemaris diffinis) is a slightly smaller, but closely related species. Its markings remarkably resemble a bumblebee with yellow to greenish-yellow and black stripes.
The graceful clearwing moth, Hemaris gracilis, is similar to the hummingbird clearwing. However, it is slightly smaller and occurs mainly in the pine forests of the northern counties of the state.
In order to attract these flying beauties, plant similar flowers that would attract hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. They are especially fond of plants in the honeysuckle family, including viburnum and snow berry. And, be certain to leave the leaf litter beneath the plants that the pupae might be residing.
Happy Gardening.
Carol Shirk
Certified Master Gardener
