April 21, 2026

A Hummingbird Clearwing (Hemaris thysbe), enjoying the nectar of apple blossoms on a cool spring day.

Though the Hummingbird Clearwing is a moth, it is diurnal, or active during the day — not nocturnal. They feed on flower nectar as adults, and have a long proboscis which they use to drink that nectar while hovering. This hovering action gives them the appearance of a small Hummingbird. From time to time I hear someone telling the story of seeing a tiny Hummingbird, but these are moths, not birds!

_______________________

If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!