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Fruit & Orchards

Butterfly Bee?

14 years ago

I am seeing an insect(98% sure is insect) flying around my butterfly bush that I have not seen before. It looks something like a bumblebee (yellow back), but is thinner, and also has the looks/actions of a moth, or even a hummingbird. Sorry, but it moves too fast for me to get a picture.

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Comments (4)

myk1
14 years ago
There is a bumble bee moth. I've never heard of a butterfly bee or a bee butterfly.
I think you watch the wing position when they're landed. The shape is definitely somewhat different but close enough to fool you plus frogs and toads.
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franktank232
14 years ago
All that i know is my yard is swarming with all kinds of various bees. Bumbles, honeys, black ones, weird ones, big ones, small ones :)

The raspberries are blooming (late?) so they are really hitting them right now.

The sunflowers are all opening (i have close to 100) and they are all over them.

Fruit growing is fun, but so is growing various types of flowers. Anything to attract bees is good in my book. Beats a stupid lawn :)!
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rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
14 years ago
More accurately called a 'Clearwing Moth', or commonly Hummingbird moths. They are one of several species of Sphinx moths, all of which can be very interesting to watch. The larvae of Sphinx moths are hornworms.

The moth most often seen as a bee or hummingbird mimic is probably the Snowberry Clearwing. There are several others that look quite similar, however.

Here is a link that might be useful: Snowberry Clearwing images
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bob6831
Original Author
14 years ago
After looking at the pictures, I believe it is the Hummingbird clearwing moth.
Thx.
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