Clearwing Moths

Feeds:: Posts; Comments

« Re-blog: In the studio with Michael Powell (in action!)

Clearwing Moths

July 10, 2021 by Mike Powell

I was absolutely delighted to spot some clearwing moths among the flowers on Thursday at Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge. These cool moths look and act a lot like hummingbirds as they hover among the flowers and sip nectar. Unlike the hummingbirds that use a needlelike beaks, these moths have a long proboscises that look like tongues but function more like straws that permit them to suck in nectar from a distance, as you can see in the second image.

There are several related species of clearwing moths in our area and I sometimes have trouble telling them apart. I am pretty sure that the one in the first image is a Snowberry Clearwing moth (Hemaris diffinis) because of its yellow coloration and dark-colored legs. The moth in the second image might be a Hummingbird Clearwing moth (Hemaris thysbe), judging from its more olive coloration and light-colored legs.

These moths are in constant motion, moving quickly from flower and flower and I had to chase them around quite a bit to capture these shots. Occasionally I was able to almost freeze the motion, as in the first image, but in most of my images the wings are somewhat blurry. I really like the blurry bright red wings in the second image in which we are looking head-on at the moth. The blurred wings provide a nice contrast with the rest of the body that is in relative sharp focus and we get a good look at the proboscis in action.

Posted in Insects, Nature, Photography, Summer, wildlife | Tagged Canon 50D, Fort Belvoir VA, Hemaris diffinis, Hemaris thysbe, Hummingbird Clearwing, Hummingbird Clearwing Moth, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge, Snowberry Clearwing Moth, Tamron 180mm | 10 Comments

10 Responses

on July 10, 2021 at 7:27 am | Reply Ann Parziale

These moths can be beautiful but if one is a vegetable gardener, the larvae of these amazing moths can be tomato hornworms that can devastate the plants and fruits. Thank you again for such amazing photography.
- on July 10, 2021 at 6:02 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Over time I have come to appreciate the fact that some of the insects that I like to photograph, like cucumber beetles, Cabbage White Butterflies, and others are considered pests to gardeners and farmers. Similarly, there are invasive plants that are seen by naturalists as nuisances or dangerous to local habitats. All that being said, I am usually focused primarily on capturing the beauty of the subjects.
on July 10, 2021 at 7:35 am | Reply Dan Antion

Amazing captures, Mike.
- on July 10, 2021 at 5:58 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Dan.
on July 10, 2021 at 9:55 am | Reply Ellen Jennings

Great captures, Mike! Getting the “frozen” wings in the first image was quite a feat. I like the second image even better, giving a feel of how speedy those wings are, along with the view of the feeding action. The pretty flower, some kind of bergamot maybe, is a nice complement.
- on July 10, 2021 at 5:56 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Ellen. I go back and forth between the two photos and usually decide I like the second one a little better because of the unusual angle and the effect of the wings that seem simultaneously in focus and out of focus.
on July 10, 2021 at 4:22 pm | Reply Reed Andariese

Very Nice Mike!!
- on July 10, 2021 at 5:53 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Reed.
on July 10, 2021 at 5:32 pm | Reply sv-anui.com

Great action shots, Mike!
- on July 10, 2021 at 5:53 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Chris. It is definitely fun to chase around colorful insects like these.