COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A quick-thinking Columbus woman snapped a picture of an interesting insect she noticed among her flowers, and the resulting image has gained the attention of several neighbors on social media.
“Does anyone know what this is?” wrote Deborah Fox in the post with the picture of tiny animal resting on her impatiens blooms. “It was hard to get a picture. Some kind of flying insect.”
Fox received nearly two dozen responses with almost all guessing the winged species was a hummingbird clearwing moth.
“I had to go look this up….it looks like a hummingbird, but it’s not,” wrote one commenter. “I think it’s a Hummingbird Clearwing moth. I’ve seen them in my yard over the years.”
“Exactly!” Fox responded. “The head and wings look like a hummingbird. It also flies like a hummingbird. We have never seen one before.”
Another neighbor commented in more detail.
“This is a Hummingbird Clearwing Moth (Hemaris thysbe),” the detailed remark began. “These moths are known for their resemblance to hummingbirds, particularly in their flight patterns and the way they hover around flowers while feeding on nectar. They have a fuzzy body and clear wings that move rapidly, much like a hummingbird’s. They are often seen during the daytime, which is unusual for moths, and their size and coloration can easily be mistaken for a small hummingbird.”
NBC4 made a check with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and confirmed that Fox’s online community got the analysis right. Wildlife Communications Specialist Kyle Casey also recognized it as a hummingbird clearwing moth. Wildlife Management Supervisor Gary Comer Jr. agreed, calling Casey “a very experienced naturalist,” in an email to NBC4.
The ODNR team shared reference information from the “Moths of Ohio Field Guide.”
“This is a day-flier that can be mistaken for a small hummingbird,” the text offers. “There are three species of Clearwing Moths … that look very much alike, and this is the most common.”
The field guide notes the moth is known for its translucent wings, which is caused by it losing some scales during its emergence. Additionally, it is attracted to lilies and bee-balm flowers, is often found in open woodlands, fields, and gardens and has a wingspan of 1 to 2.2 inches.
Interestingly, the moth gets it name (Hemaris thysbe) from the the mythological character Thisbe “who joined with her lover Pyramus in a tragic tale of lost love” and inspired Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.”
In a message to NBC4, Fox said she is hopeful she will get to see the moth again.
“I thought I had discovered a new species of ‘bug’ when I saw this critter,” wrote Fox. “I always look when I go out the front door but I have not seen another one since that day. I will keep looking!”