hUmmingBird Clearwing
Hemaris Thysbe
As the name suggests, there are many features of this moth that imitate hummingbirds. The large body and olive green, burgundy, and white coloration resemble the colors of some hummingbirds. The inner segments of the wings are transparent making them almost invisible as it flies. In flight, the wings create a soft buzzing, also like a hummingbird. Unlike other pollinators which land on the flowers they are feeding from, the hummingbird clearwing moth hovers in front of them, extending its long, beak-like proboscis to drink from the flowers. However, these moths only reach a maximum of 35 millimeters in size, while the smallest hummingbird in Canada is over 75 mm long.
Encourage these pollinators in your garden by planting native nectar-bearing flowers for them to feed on, and leaving leaf litter piles in your yard for their caterpillars to pupate and overwinter in.
The City Nature Challenge is a global citizen science bio-blitz held annually. Last year, over 66,394 people from cities around the world documented urban biodiversity on the first weekend of May. Together, they submitted 2.4 million observations for more than 65,682+ species, including more than 3,940+ rare/endangered/threatened species. In Lethbridge, we had 16 observers submit 844 observations of 278 species. Can you help us top this in 2025?