Take a stroll through a garden or restored patch of native plants, and you might catch a creature zipping skillfully among the blooms much like a tiny-but-fierce hummingbird on the hunt for nectar.
Stay still and watch closely, and you might discover one of several so-called hummingbird moths. They’re easiest to spot in mid-July as favorite perennials such as beebalm bloom across the state. These moths can hover midair and feed on nectar with their extended proboscis, much like hummingbirds with their long tongues. They also share thick bodies, darting flight and a slight hum with wings beating so fast they blur. Tufted fur on the tail end of their bodies can also resemble short tail feathers.
Hummingbird moths, also known as clearwings and bee hawkmoths, are in family Sphingidae (sphinx), known for heftier, furrier bodies. They begin as caterpillars that can spin cocoons and overwinter in leaf litter, emerging between late spring and early summer.
Besides sporting brighter colors and patterns than the neutral tones of humble moths that flock to porchlights, hummingbird moths can be seen during the day or at dusk sipping from flowers such as petunias, delphiniums, native phlox, vervain and honeysuckle.
Here are few to look for in Minnesota :
Snowberry clearwing: This one most resembles jumbo bees with their fuzzy greenish-yellow and black striped bodies and clear wings framed with black.
Hummingbird Clearwing Moth: This one has greenish top fur with a rust-colored stripe and white fur on its underside with bold rust-colored borders on its clear wings.
White-lined sphinx: This moth features brown, white, and salmon stripes on its wings and body.
