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.

BAMONA Shop

Check out our new Fall 2025 Classic BAMONA Logo Shirts and cozy Native Plants Hoodies!

Please donate!

We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.

Advertise with us!

Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.

Verified Sightings

Displaying 1 - 24 of 2022 verified sightings

Filter by Region

Observation date: Aug 02, 2025

Submitted by: JT Charbonneaux

Region: Morton County, North Dakota, United States

Verified by: Tom Middagh

Verified date: Nov 29, 2025

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Verified Sightings

Advertisement

Snowberry Clearwing
Hemaris diffinis (Boisduval, 1836)