Bee Mimic
This year (2011) Southeast Michigan has had it's hottest July on record. The high temperatures and the lack of rain really wilted many of the wild flowers. But this bee mimic, the Snowberry Clearwing moth (Hemaris diffinis) found some Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) that still had a few tubular flowers still vibrant.
This moth is about 2 inches long, and it hovers like a hummingbird. In fact, there is a closely related moth called the "Hummingbird Moth" (also a clear-winged moth). The scales on the wings drop off after the first couple of flights leaving the clear wing. The first one I saw made me back off, thinking it was the biggest bee I had ever seen! But, it's a harmless moth.
Bee Mimic
This year (2011) Southeast Michigan has had it's hottest July on record. The high temperatures and the lack of rain really wilted many of the wild flowers. But this bee mimic, the Snowberry Clearwing moth (Hemaris diffinis) found some Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) that still had a few tubular flowers still vibrant.
This moth is about 2 inches long, and it hovers like a hummingbird. In fact, there is a closely related moth called the "Hummingbird Moth" (also a clear-winged moth). The scales on the wings drop off after the first couple of flights leaving the clear wing. The first one I saw made me back off, thinking it was the biggest bee I had ever seen! But, it's a harmless moth.