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Tag Archives: moth

Pollinator Week, day 2

Hemaris thysbe (hummingbird moth).

Hemaris thysbe
Hummingbird moth
June 18, 2019 by dlschirf Posted in Blog, Nature Tagged Chicago Park District, Hyde Park, insect, moth, photo, Pollinator Week, wildlife Reply

Snowberry and hummingbird clearwings, and summer winding down

words and images Posted on September 1, 2017 by dlschirfDecember 30, 2022

During the first half of August last year, I was thrilled to discover not only butterflies at Perennial Garden, but also the little fairy moths known as snowberry clearwings (Hemaris diffinis). I never expected to see anything like them here.

I found that great, Eastern tiger, and black swallowtails; red-spotted purples; painted ladies; silver-spotted and fiery skippers; bees; clearwings; and even a hummingbird or two love a particular butterfly bush at the garden. This bush, which had been cut down to the ground after last summer, didn’t bloom fully until early to mid-August — I started checking as early as May! On my brief visits, I never saw clearwings, so I braced myself for disappointment.

Skipper with proboscis
Fiery skipper butterfly
Skipper and Japanese beetle
Skipper and Japanese beetle
Skipper
Silver-spotted skipper butterfly
Painted lady
Painted lady butterfly
IMG_2472
Monarch butterfly
Majestic monarch butterflies
Red-spotted purple
Red-spotted purple butterfly
IMG_7583
Eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly
Black swallowtail
Black swallowtail butterfly
Bee
A bee on a different plant for good measure
Hackberry emperor
Added Sept. 4: I first noticed this hackberry emperor butterfly on Labor Day

I started seeing a few clearwings a couple of weeks ago Thursday. When I pedaled over the Saturday before last at 3 p.m., the bush was swarming with life. I noticed that among the snowberry clearwings a few hummingbird clearwings, with their fuzzy green upper backs, were making an appearance. I was in heaven. I love these guys — even after I noticed they were buzzing one another and throwing each other off choice branches or blossoms.

Hemaris diffinis, snowberry clearwing, hummingbird moth, flying lobster
Hemaris diffinis (snowberry clearwing)
Hemaris diffinis, snowberry clearwing, hummingbird moth, flying lobster
Hemaris diffinis (snowberry clearwing)

By Saturday there were fewer of the snowberry clearwing moths under the increasingly cloudy skies. I was happy to have seen so many the day before.

I’d made one of the photos I’d taken the background image on my iPhone screen. I’ve changed phones since then, but I haven’t changed the image. I took a closer look at it — and realized that particular photo from last year is of a hummingbird moth (Hemaris thysbe). How did I never notice that? It had the species’ distinctive fuzzy green upper back and lacks the light band near the skirt. While bemoaning that I hadn’t seen any Hemaris thysbe at this butterfly bush, I’d been staring at a photo of one I’d taken a year ago. Brilliant.

Hemaris thysbe
Hemaris thysbe (hummingbird moth)

Last Tuesday I left work early for a doctor’s appointment and managed to get to the garden by 5 p.m. I was happy to have this unexpected opportunity to visit my little fairy moths — especially since they live only a few weeks.

The bush wasn’t buzzing like it’d been on Saturday, and there weren’t any large butterflies around—but there were enough moths for me to get a few photos and videos, including one in slow motion. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that sooner, except I am still trying to get a sharp closeup photo.

While I was standing watching a handful of moths flitting around, I heard a “bzzzzzzzzt” behind my head. I turned to find myself face to face with a hummingbird, separated by only a foot and a half or two feet of space.

As I was trying to get myself together (“Where’s the phone? Where’s the camera app?”), she buzzed around me to take a couple of quick sips at the bush. I have only these mid-distance shots and a memory now.

Untitled
Female ruby-throated hummingbird
Untitled
Female ruby-throated hummingbird

Now there’s only about an hour between the time I get home, change, get my bike out, and ride over, and sunset. By that hour, the Hemaris moths are few if any. The other day I was watching a hummingbird clearwing when a snowberry clearwing attacked it and carried it away.

I wish I could tell them there are plenty of blossoms to go around for the little time they have left.

Posted in Blog, Photography | Tagged butterfly, Chicago, Hyde Park, insect, moth, nature, photo, wildlife | Leave a reply

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