Hummingbird Clearwing Moth

Natural Habitat

Open areas including gardens, meadows, and forest edges across North America.

Diet & Feeding

Adults feed on flower nectar using a long proboscis; larvae (caterpillars) feed on leaves of plants like honeysuckle, hawthorn, and viburnum.

Behavior Patterns

Diurnal (active during the day). They hover over flowers to feed, mimicking hummingbirds. They have transparent wing patches that develop after their first flight when scales fall off. They undergo a complete metamorphosis with pupation occurring in a thin cocoon on the ground.

Risks & Benefits

They are beneficial pollinators for many native plants and garden flowers. They pose no risk to humans or pets as they do not sting or bite.

Identified on: 4/26/2026