When I first spotted this insect last Thursday at Occoquan Regional Park, it looked like a large bumblebee. I tracked it visually as it buzzed about and when it landed, I could see from its distinctive wings that it was definitely not a bee. In our area we have two species of clear wing moths that are similar in appearance and behavior, the Snowberry Clearwing Moth (Hemaris diffinis) and the Hummingbird Clearwing Moth (Hemaris thysbe). Identification guides warn that both species are variable in color, which complicates identification, but the Hummingbird Clearwing Moth has light-colored legs, so I am pretty confident that this one is a Snowberry Clearwing Moth.
Most of the time when I see clearwing moths they are beating their wings rapidly and hovering in the air as they collect nectar from a variety of flowers, which causes some people to think they are hummingbirds. I do not know why this one was perched in the low vegetation—perhaps it was taking a break—but its static position allowed me to get a detailed look at its wings and the rest of its body.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Lucky you! I’ve seen the white-lined hummingbird moth, but I’d love to see this one. You certainly got a good image of its wings.
I was not sure what a white-lined hummingbird moth looked like and from what the photos show, it is similar in appearance and behavior to the one in my photos, except its wings are colored and patterned differently.
That’s right. I can’t remember how many species of hummingbird moths there are, but there are quite a few. The first time I saw one, I was sure it was a hummingbird!
Nice Mike! It does sort of look like a Bee! Never noticed one before! Or maybe I did and thought it was a bee!!
Thanks, Reed. I am gradually discovering that there are all kinds of mimics in the insect world, which forces me to look more closely than ever.
That is a real stunner, Mike! Beautifully photographed, too! We have clearwing moths here, too, but I have yet to see one.
Oooh. I like this chubby little moth a lot. It is very reminiscent of a bee.
Nature is just full of surprises. Nice shot, Mike.
That’s a great shot, Mike.
I remember seeing what I’m pretty sure were hummingbird moths a few times while we lived in Omaha, and they were really amazingly agile and shy if I tried to get a closer look when they landed briefly. You were fortunate (or, rather, persistent enough) to catch this one at rest.