Bumblebee Moth

The bumblebee moth is a member of the sphinx moth family, Sphingidae, and is one of several "clearwing" species whose wings shed most of their scales after the first flight, leaving large transparent panels bordered by dark veins. Its rounded, fuzzy body banded in black and yellow gives it a striking resemblance to a bumblebee, an example of Batesian mimicry that likely deters predators.

Unlike most moths, it is active during the day, often seen hovering at flowers in bright sunshine, beating its wings so rapidly they produce an audible hum much like a hummingbird or large bee. This has earned it the alternate name "hummingbird moth" or "clearwing hummingbird moth" in many regions.

It is a valuable pollinator, visiting a wide range of nectar-producing flowers and playing a role similar to bees and hummingbirds in garden and meadow ecosystems.

• Stout, spindle-shaped body covered in dense fuzz, banded in yellow, black, and sometimes olive.
• Wings are mostly transparent ("clear") with dark reddish-brown to black borders and veins.
• Wingspan roughly 3–5 cm; body shape resembles a fat bumblebee more than a typical moth.
• Rapid wingbeats produce a visible blur and audible buzz while hovering at flowers.
• Distinguished from true bumblebees by its long, coiled proboscis used to sip nectar while hovering, and from the similar hummingbird clearwing by narrower yellow banding.

Common across much of North America in gardens, meadows, open woodland edges, and parks wherever nectar flowers such as honeysuckle, bee balm, and verbena are available. Active by day, especially in warm sunny weather from late spring through summer, and occasionally at dusk.

Feeds exclusively on flower nectar as an adult, hovering in front of blossoms and unfurling a long proboscis rather than landing, much like a hummingbird. Its bee-like appearance and buzzing flight likely discourage bird predators through mimicry. As a caterpillar it feeds on the foliage of honeysuckle and related plants and drops to the ground to pupate.

Eggs are laid singly on host plant leaves and hatch into green caterpillars marked with a curved posterior horn typical of sphinx moth larvae. After several molts, the mature caterpillar burrows into leaf litter or loose soil to pupate in a simple cocoon. There are typically one to two generations per year depending on climate, with the pupal stage overwintering in colder regions before adults emerge in spring.