COLUMBUS, Ohio ( WCMH ) — A quick-thinking Columbus woman snapped a picture of an interesting insect she noticed among her flowers, and the resulting image has gained the attention of several neighbors on social media.
“Does anyone know what this is?” wrote Deborah Fox in the post with the picture of tiny animal resting on her impatiens blooms. “It was hard to get a picture. Some kind of flying insect.”
Fox received nearly two dozen responses with almost all guessing the winged species was a hummingbird clearwing moth.
“I had to go look this up….it looks like a hummingbird, but it’s not,” wrote one commenter. “I think it’s a Hummingbird Clearwing moth. I’ve seen them in my yard over the years.”
“Exactly!” Fox responded. “The head and wings look like a hummingbird. It also flies like a hummingbird. We have never seen one before.”
Another neighbor commented in more detail.
“This is a Hummingbird Clearwing Moth (Hemaris thysbe),” the detailed remark began. “These moths are known for their resemblance to hummingbirds, particularly in their flight patterns and the way they hover around flowers while feeding on nectar. They have a fuzzy body and clear wings that move rapidly, much like a hummingbird’s. They are often seen during the daytime, which is unusual for moths, and their size and coloration can easily be mistaken for a small hummingbird.”