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.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 1512 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 05, 2019
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Cherokee County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 09, 2019
Observation date: Sep 07, 2019
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 08, 2019
Observation date: Sep 05, 2019
Submitted by: reupurtbones
Region: Warren County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 06, 2019
Observation date: Aug 22, 2019
Submitted by: DCollins83
Region: Harford County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 05, 2019
Observation date: Aug 31, 2019
Submitted by: LSB
Region: McHenry County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 31, 2019
Observation date: Aug 30, 2019
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 31, 2019
Observation date: Aug 28, 2019
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Aug 28, 2019
Observation date: Aug 27, 2019
Submitted by: Nickyx13
Region: Burlington County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 28, 2019
Observation date: Aug 25, 2019
Submitted by: Mraimer
Region: Kent County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 26, 2019
Observation date: Aug 08, 2017
Submitted by: foreverdancing
Region: Harrison County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 25, 2019
Observation date: Jun 01, 2019
Submitted by: Floopy Doopy
Region: Pettis County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 25, 2019
Observation date: Aug 23, 2019
Submitted by: Dave Rintoul
Region: Pottawatomie County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 23, 2019
Observation date: Aug 21, 2019
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Aug 22, 2019
Observation date: Aug 21, 2019
Submitted by: Miya
Region: Ocean County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 22, 2019
Observation date: Aug 20, 2019
Submitted by: WndrWmn
Region: Cecil County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 20, 2019
Observation date: Aug 19, 2019
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Aug 20, 2019
Observation date: Aug 18, 2019
Submitted by: Bob Crowley
Region: Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 19, 2019
Observation date: Aug 18, 2019
Submitted by: billmac
Region: Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 19, 2019
Observation date: Aug 18, 2019
Submitted by: montejosh
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 19, 2019
Observation date: Aug 18, 2019
Submitted by: Bisbell
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 19, 2019
Observation date: Aug 09, 2019
Submitted by: A_baldini
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: charleseharp
Verified date: Aug 19, 2019
Observation date: Aug 18, 2019
Submitted by: Vermeer401
Region: Warrick County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 18, 2019
Observation date: Jul 26, 2019
Submitted by: Sunrisegardener
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 16, 2019
Observation date: Aug 15, 2019
Submitted by: KarenNewHampshire
Region: Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 15, 2019
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