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.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 1937 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 12, 2023
Submitted by: heather-russell
Region: Guilford County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 17, 2023
Observation date: Aug 11, 2023
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Cumberland County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 13, 2023
Observation date: Jul 26, 2023
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Yellowstone County, Montana, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 12, 2023
Observation date: Aug 10, 2023
Submitted by: Sherry in Kansas
Region: Douglas County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 11, 2023
Observation date: Aug 10, 2023
Submitted by: Amcenhill
Region: Dutchess County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 10, 2023
Observation date: Jul 30, 2023
Submitted by: SusanPotomac
Region: Orange County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 05, 2023
Observation date: Aug 04, 2023
Submitted by: antonio.quezon
Region: Fairfax County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 05, 2023
Observation date: Jul 31, 2023
Submitted by: MamaJ413
Region: Oakland County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 04, 2023
Observation date: Aug 03, 2023
Submitted by: Alschenck
Region: Providence County, Rhode Island, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 04, 2023
Observation date: Aug 01, 2023
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 02, 2023
Observation date: Aug 02, 2023
Submitted by: SonyaJ
Region: Henrico County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 02, 2023
Observation date: Aug 01, 2023
Submitted by: clockenthusiast
Region: Bay County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 02, 2023
Observation date: Jul 30, 2023
Submitted by: Sherry in Kansas
Region: Douglas County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 30, 2023
Observation date: Jul 29, 2023
Submitted by: Team-Chick
Region: Newport News, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 30, 2023
Observation date: Jul 29, 2023
Submitted by: SNitzsch
Region: Genesee County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 29, 2023
Observation date: Jul 26, 2023
Submitted by: Colleen K
Region: Robertson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 29, 2023
Observation date: Jul 27, 2023
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Jul 28, 2023
Observation date: Jul 24, 2023
Submitted by: datilson
Region: Clarke County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jul 28, 2023
Observation date: Jul 26, 2023
Submitted by: dspring17
Region: Burnett County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Jul 27, 2023
Observation date: Jul 09, 2023
Submitted by: aarongunnar
Region: Jefferson County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Jul 26, 2023
Observation date: Jul 25, 2023
Submitted by: Fatcatness
Region: Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 25, 2023
Observation date: Jul 23, 2023
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 23, 2023
Observation date: Jul 22, 2023
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 23, 2023
Observation date: Jul 20, 2023
Submitted by: Cirente
Region: Madison County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 23, 2023
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