The Moth that Flits Like a Hummingbird

Affectionately called flying lobsters or more commonly, hummingbird moths, this bumblebee mimic was captured in the backyard of one of Blooming Boulevard’s native garden stewards.“It flies so quickly, it was hard to get a photo,” our steward reported. “It’s so cool to see.”

Likely a Snowberry Clearwing Moth, it’s one of several species native to the US and Canada. 

They behave similarly to hummingbirds, seeking nectar during daylight, unlike most moths, which are nocturnal. They hover in front of flowers, reaching deep inside blooms with their long tongues. Adult moths prefer wild bergamot, beebalm, phlox, red clover, dwarf bush honeysuckle, snowberry, thistles, and lilac. 

Quite sizable, they have a wingspan of 4 to 6 cm. They are active from May through July and have two brood batches during the summer. 

Caterpillars spin cocoons on the ground among leaf litter and are light green with small eyes running down their abdomen. Host plants for the young include snowberry, dogbane and honeysuckle. 

When they first emerge from their cocoons, their wings are covered with reddish-brown scales, but after their first flight, they fall off, leaving the wings essentially transparent except for veins and wing borders.