They are both widespread throughout North America, with the former perhaps being more abundant in the west and the latter in the east. The most familiar ones are the Snowberry Clearwing ( Hemaris diffinis) and the Hummingbird Clearwing ( Hemaris thysbe). There are four species of hummingbird moths in North America. The British prefer to call them Bee Hawk-Moths. Some of these species are closely related and all belong to the same genus, Hemaris. In the Old World, there are several species of hummingbird moths. These day-flying moths are widespread in North America. Such nectar is inaccessible to many other flower visitors, so it seems that these flowers prefer long tongued pollinators and try to keep the others away. Like most moths they have a very long tongue which they carry rolled under their chins and that they use to reach the nectar of long-necked flowers. Like all Lepidoptera their wings are covered by scales some species lose many of the scales from patches on their wings, so they are called clearwing hummingbird moths. They are usually of a rich reddish brown color, at least in part. Hummingbird moths are rather plump the tip of their tail opens into a fan. They listen incredulously when one explains to them that what they just saw was not a bird but a moth. Quite often inexperienced garden visitors notice what they think is a tiny hummingbird fleeting among flowers such as bee balm ( Monarda). They even emit an audible hum like hummingbirds. Like them, they can remain suspended in the air in front of a flower while they unfurl their long tongues and insert them in flowers to sip their nectar. They fly and move just like hummingbirds. Several species of the genus Hemaris deserve this name and for very good reason. Perhaps one of the most delightful insect visitors to your garden is the hummingbird moth.
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