SPHINGIDAE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

hemaris diffinis

(boisduval, 1836)

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Common Name(s): Snowberry Clearwing

Ecology and Life History:
This moth is active from April to October across most of its range. In the deep South, it may be present year-round. This is a day-flying species of Sphingidae, and as such is not attracted to artificial lights setup at night. The best way to locate this species is to go to suburban yards, parks, plant nurseries, and other areas where there are likely to be large amounts of flowers. Adults can be seen nectaring during the day from mid-morning to late-afternoon. Males and females of this species are identically marked and not sexually dimorphic. In general, males are slightly smaller and usually have smaller abdomens. Females are a bit larger, and have noticeably larger, rounder abdomens. This can be incredibly hard to tell in the field without examination of the live moth’s genital capsule. Eggs are laid singly or rarely in small clusters on the leaves and stems of hostplants. Young larvae hide along the undersides of the leaves along the mid-vein during the day, making small holes in the leaves. Searching for younger instars can be easily achieved by examining hostplants for small holes in the leaves and turning the leaf over. Older larvae are more difficult to find, sometimes hiding on the stems of the plant. The larvae of this species can come in green or black. The adults do not have regional forms.

Habitat and Searching for Larvae:
Larvae consume some plants in the Caprifoliaceae, specifically the Honeysuckle and Snowberry: Lonicera and Symphoricarpos. They will consume both the native species as well as the invasive species (Japanese Honeysuckle, and Japanese Bush Honeysuckle Complexes). Larvae can be found virtually anywhere on the plant. Young larvae are usually mid-height on the plant, or on branches that stick out from the rest of the plant. Searching new growth may also yield larvae. This moth can show up virtually anywhere. Fields, parks, yards, roadsides, and water edges are all good places to start looking for larvae. Larvae do not seem to mind urban areas, sometimes being found in the middle of cities next to major roadways. With the spread of several invasive Lonicera species, we expect this moth to become more prevalent and occupy additional habitats. Larvae are present from May through November across most of the range. These can sometimes be the last Sphingidae larvae present in the fall. The green form of this larva fluoresces brightly under UV light. The black form does not, however the spiracles will fluoresce a little, which makes finding this form manageable with UV light.

Rearing Notes:
This is a fairly easy species to obtain eggs from. Adults need natural sunlight to pair and lay eggs as well as a living hostplant. Placing adults in a large flight cage outdoor with food and a hostplant will almost certainly yield eggs. The larvae seem to prefer Honeysuckle or Snowberry in the lab. Interestingly, they will consume both the native and invasive Lonicera species without preference, often switching hostplants when offered.  Reports of this species on Viburnum or Vaccinium are likely erroneous.  Larvae are not too susceptible to disease, or sudden death when rearing. To ensure that populations are maintained, it’s best to not rear larvae in large densities as they are quite messy and the build-up of frass can be quite bad. We reccomend keeping 5 full grown larvae per medium sized tupperware container. Rearing can be easily done in a screen cage with potted or cut plants. Sleeving is another good method, but is only really reliable on large plants or the bush honeysuckles. You will want to sleeve a large portion of the plant with the larvae, and be prepared to move them at least once if you are rearing multiple. Pupation is easy to achieve using the Paper Towel Method outlined in the general information tab of this website.
​
Host plants:
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Picture
(C) Teá Montagna
Picture
Picture
Adult description: 
This is a small day flying sphingid with forewing length of only 16-22mm (2). All the US Hemaris species have clear areas on the wings rather than being typically colored and scaled like in other genera. This moth resembles a bumblebee while flying, and the black and yellow coloration adds to the illusion. The abdomen of this species is primarily black with just a bit of yellow toward the tip. This helps differentiate it from the similar Hemaris thetis which is found only west of the rockies. To help determine species of Hemaris in the east, examine the forewing cell. If it is quite large and lacks a vein running through it, you have Hemaris diffinis or Hemaris aethra. In 2018 Chris Schmidt published a paper describing Hemaris aethra. This species is similar to Hemaris diffinis, but is typically more northerly in distribution. Hemaris aethra has much brighter red spotting on the forewing tips, and has yellow scales not interrupted by black in the center of the trailing abdominal scales (the scales that come off the tip of the abdomen). In Hemaris diffinis, the red spotting on the forewing is more brown in color, and the yellow portion in the center of the trailing abdominal scales is interrupted by black scales. Hemaris aethra is an obligate species on Diervilla lonicera, whereas Hemaris diffinis prefers Lonicera sp.

Larval description:
L5:  The larva is green or black-brown and has very large distinctive black spiracles. The dorsal surface of this larva is slightly darker green than the rest. This is not evident in the brown form. Directly behind the head of this larva is a granulose yellow collar. The horn of this species is bicolored, yellow at the base and black the rest of the way and granulated. Hemaris aethra larva look very similar, except the spiracles are red.
The gallery to the left contains photos of Hemaris diffinis adults. If you have a photo that you would like to submit to us, please contact us.

The gallery to the right contains photos of Hemaris diffinis larval and pupal stages. If you have a photo that you would like to submit to us, please contact us.
(C) William J. Lucas, Jr.
(C) William J. Lucas, Jr.
(C) Eric Eaton
(C) Eric Eaton
(C) Jon Mularczyk
(C) Ken Childs
(C) Ken Childs
(C) Ken Childs
(C) Ken Childs
(C) Ken Childs
(C) Ken Childs
(C) Teá Montagna
(C) Eric Eaton
(C) Teá Montagna
(C) Teá Montagna
(C) Teá Montagna
(C) Teá Montagna
Pupa (C) William J. Lucas, Jr.
L5 (C) Ashley Bosarge
L5 (C) Jon Mularczyk
L5 (C) Ashley Bosarge
L5 (C) JoAnne Russo
L5 (C) Jon Mularczyk
L5 - (C) Marcie O'Connor
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L3 - (C) Teá Montagna
(C) JoAnne Russo
(C) William J. Lucas Jr.
(C) Maya Shikhman
L5 (C) Teá Montagna
L5 (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L1 & 2 - (C) Teá Montagna
L3 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L1 - (C) Teá Montagna
Egg - (C) Teá Montagna
L1 - (C) Teá Montagna
L2 - (C) Teá Montagna
L2 - (C) Teá Montagna
L3 - (C) Teá Montagna
Egg - (C) Teá Montagna
L3 - (C) Teá Montagna
Pupa - (C) Teá Montagna
Pupa - (C) Teá Montagna
Pupa - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L3 - (C) Teá Montagna
L3 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L5 - (C) Teá Montagna
L3 - (C) Teá Montagna

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Macroglossinae

Aellopos clavipes
Aellopos fadus
Aellopos tantalus
Aellopos titan
Amphion floridensis
Cautethia grotei
Callionima falcifera
Callionima parce
Darapsa choerilus
Darapsa myron
Darapsa versicolor
Deidemia inscriptum
Enyo lugubris
Enyo ocypete
Erinnyis alope
Erinnyis crameri
Erinnyis ello
Erinnyis guttularis
Erinnyis lassauxii
Erinnyis oenotrus
Erinnyis obscura
Eumorpha achemon
Eumorpha fasciatus
Eumorpha intermedia
Eumorpha labruscae
Eumorpha pandorus
Eumorpha satellitia
Eumorpha vitis
Eumorpha typhon
Eupyrrhoglossum sagra​
Hemaris diffinis
Hemaris gracilis
Hemaris thysbe
Hyles euphorbiae
Hyles gallii
Hyles lineata
Madoryx pseudothyreus
Pachylioides resumens
Pachylia ficus
Perigonia lusca
Phryxus caicus
Proserpinus flavofasciata
Proserpinus clarkiae
Proserpinus gaurae
Proserpinus lucidus
Pseudosphinx tetrio
Sphecodina abbottii
Xylophanes falco
Xylophanes pluto
Xylophanes libya
Xylophanes porcus
Xylophanes tersa

Smerinthinae

Protambulyx strigilis
Amorpha juglandis
Pachysphinx modesta
Pachysphinx occidentalis
Paonias astylus
Paonias excaecata
Paonias myops
Smerinthus cerisyi
Smerinthus jamaicensis
Smerinthus astarte
Smerinthus ophthalmica

Sphinginae

Agrius cingulata
Ceratomia amyntor
Ceratomia catalpae
Ceratomia hageni
Ceratomia undulosa
Cocytius antaeus
Cocytius duponchel
Dolba hyloeus
Isoparce cupressi
Lapara bombycoides
Lapara coniferarum
Lintneria istar
Lintneria separatus
Lintneria eremitus
Manduca jasminearum
Manduca occulta
Manduca brontes cubensis
Manduca florestan
Manduca muscosa
Manduca quinquemaculatus
Manduca rustica
Manduca sexta
Neococytius cluentius
Paratrea plebeja
Sphinx canadensis
Sphinx chersis
Sphinx dollii
Sphinx drupiferarum
Sphinx frankii
Sphinx gordius
Sphinx kalmiae
Sphinx leucophaeata
Sphinx luscitiosa
Sphinx pinastri
Sphinx poecila 
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  • Home
  • Sphingidae Index
    • Macroglossinae >
      • Aellopos >
        • Aellopos clavipes
        • Aellopos fadus
        • Aellopos tantalus
        • Aellopos titan
      • Amphion >
        • Amphion floridensis
      • Callionima >
        • Callionima falcifera
      • Cautethia >
        • Cautethia grotei
      • Darapsa >
        • Darapsa versicolor
        • Darapsa myron
        • Darapsa choerilus
      • Deidamia >
        • Deidamia inscriptum
      • Enyo >
        • Enyo lugubris
        • Enyo ocypete
      • Erinnyis >
        • Erinnyis alope
        • Erinnyis crameri
        • Erinnyis ello
        • Erinnyis cubensis
        • Erinnyis lassauxii
        • Erinnyis oenotrus
        • Erinnyis obscura
      • Eumorpha >
        • Eumorpha pandorus
        • Eumorpha achemon
        • Eumorpha fasciatus
        • Eumorpha satellitia
        • Eumorpha labruscae
        • Eumorpha intermedia
        • Eumorpha vitis
        • Eumorpha typhon
      • Eupyrrhoglossum >
        • Eupyrrhoglossum sagra
      • Hemaris >
        • Hemaris thysbe
        • Hemaris gracilis
        • Hemaris diffinis
        • Hemaris aethra
      • Hyles >
        • Hyles gallii
        • Hyles euphorbiae
        • Hyles lineata
      • Madoryx >
        • Madoryx pseudothyreus
      • Pachylioides >
        • Pachylioides resumens
      • Pachylia >
        • Pachylia ficus
      • Phryxus >
        • Phryxus caicus
      • Perigonia >
        • Perigonia lusca
      • Proserpinus >
        • Proserpinus clarkiae
        • Proserpinus juanita
        • Proserpinus flavofasciata
        • Proserpinus gaurae
        • Proserpinus lucidus
        • Proserpinus terlooii
      • Pseudosphinx >
        • Pseudosphinx tetrio
      • Sphecodina >
        • Sphecodina abbottii
      • Xylophanes >
        • Xylophanes falco
        • Xylophanes libya
        • Xylophanes pluto
        • Xylophanes porcus
        • Xylophanes tersa
    • Smerinthinae >
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        • Amorpha juglandis
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        • Pachysphinx occidentalis
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        • Paonias astylus
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        • Manduca sexta
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        • Sphinx franckii
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        • Sphinx luscitiosa
        • Complex: gordius-poecila >
          • Sphinx poecila
          • Sphinx gordius
      • Hyloicus >
        • Hyloicus pinastri
  • Final Instar Larva Key
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