Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFSphingidae Members: Hemaris Members: 152 NC Records

Hemaris diffinis (Boisduval, 1836) - Snowberry Clearwing


Hemaris diffinisHemaris diffinisHemaris diffinis
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Hemaris diffinis
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Bombycoidea
Family:
Sphingidae
Subfamily:
Macroglossinae
Tribe:
Dilophonotini
P3 Number:
890204.5
MONA Number:
7855.00
Comments: A Holarctic genus of 20 species of which 5 occur in North America and 4 in North Carolina. They are often called hummingbird or bumblebee moths, and are among the best known sphingids to North Carolinians.
Species Status: The barcodes for Hemaris diffinis indicate complexity out west but our populations seem to be a single species.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1948); Hodges (1971); Tuttle (2007)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1948); Wagner (2005); Tuttle (2007)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Adults have a yellowish thorax and probably are mimics of bumblebees or carpenter bees; they can also be recognized by the narrow black margin to the clear area on the hindwing -- in our other two species the black border is quite wide. The legs are black in Hemaris diffinis but white in H. thysbe and reddish in H. gracilis. Sexes are similar.
Wingspan: 3.5 - 5 cm (Covell, 1984)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Larva are granulated like other Hemaris species, but lack the subdorsal line found in H. thysbe and H. gracilis. Spiracles are surrounded by dark circular patches; the horn is black with a yellow patch at the base (see Wagner, 2005, for additional details). Pupation occurs underground.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Records from the Mountains are few but the species is certainly common across the Piedmont and Coastal Plain.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Hemaris diffinisAlamance Alexander Alleghany Anson Ashe Avery Beaufort Bertie Bladen Brunswick Buncombe Burke Cabarrus Caldwell Camden Carteret Caswell Catawba Chatham Cherokee Chowan Clay Cleveland Columbus Craven Cumberland Currituck Dare Davidson Davie Duplin Durham Edgecombe Forsyth Franklin Gaston Gates Graham Granville Greene Guilford Halifax Harnett Haywood Henderson Hertford Hoke Hyde Iredell Jackson Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln Macon Madison Martin McDowell Mecklenburg Mitchell Montgomery Moore Nash New%20Hanover Northampton Onslow Orange Pamlico Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Person Pitt Polk Randolph Richmond Robeson Rockingham Rowan Rutherford Sampson Scotland Stanly Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Tyrrell Union Vance Wake Warren Washington Watauga Wayne Wilkes Wilson Yadkin Yancey
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: adults.
Immature Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: immatures.
Flight Comments: Probably two broods over most of the state.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Records for adults come from a variety of open habitats, ranging from Barrier Islands, beaver pond wetlands, to open fields and gardens. Larvae may occur anywhere where honeysuckles grow, which includes most wooded areas in the state as well as ruderal lands and other disturbed habitats.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae are oligophagous, feeding on members of the Caprifoliaceae, including honeysuckles and snowberry. Wagner (2007) reports dogbane and Amsonia are also foodplants. In North Carolina, we have larval records from both native Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) and the exotic, invasive Japanese Honeysuckle (L. japonica). Although Coral Honeysuckle is presumably the original native host, it has become far less common than Japanese Honeysuckle in North Carolina, which by acreage may be the most widespread plant in the state (Vascular Plants of North Carolina website). In this case, larvae do not seem picky about native vs. introduced species, and are commonly found on Japanese Honeysuckle. - View
Observation Methods: Diurnal, the species does not fly at night nor visit bait. Like butterflies, this species should be sought nectaring at flowers. Look for adults visiting flowers in fields and gardens that border or are close to wooded areas and fencerows where honeysuckle is growing.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Mixed Habitats
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S5]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: Its statewide occurrence and use of a wide range of habitat types, including developed areas, makes it secure in the state. Furthermore, its adoption of introduced Japanese Honeysuckle as a host gives it a food source that has become abundant statewide.

 Photo Gallery for Hemaris diffinis - Snowberry Clearwing

122 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-01
Rowan Co.
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Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: Scott Ellis on 2025-07-24
Wake Co.
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Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-06-29
Durham Co.
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Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: Lynzie Northrup on 2025-05-24
Wake Co.
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Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: David George on 2024-09-08
Durham Co.
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Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-09-07
Wake Co.
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Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-09-07
Wake Co.
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Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: Nora Murdock, Robert Emmott, Marilyn Westphal on 2024-08-21
Haywood Co.
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Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: Nora Murdock, Robert Emmott, Marilyn Westphal on 2024-08-21
Haywood Co.
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Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-08-20
Transylvania Co.
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Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-08-20
Orange Co.
Comment: On Lonicera sempervirens.
Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-21
Wilson Co.
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Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: DJ Freeman on 2024-07-19
Davidson Co.
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Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-06-28
Durham Co.
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Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: Morgan Freese on 2024-06-27
Buncombe Co.
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Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: Morgan Freese on 2024-06-27
Buncombe Co.
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Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: Tina Fulcher on 2024-06-17
Davidson Co.
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Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-05-29
Orange Co.
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Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-05-29
Orange Co.
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Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-20
Montgomery Co.
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Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: David George, Steve Hall, Gary Perlmutter, Blanka Aguero, Meriel Goodwin, Lisa Gatens on 2024-04-22
Chatham Co.
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Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-15
Orange Co.
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Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: David George on 2023-09-09
Chatham Co.
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Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: David George on 2023-09-08
Durham Co.
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Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: David George on 2023-09-03
Durham Co.
Comment: feeding on Japanese Honeysuckle
Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: Chuck Smith on 2023-08-23
Davidson Co.
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Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2023-08-18
Catawba Co.
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Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2023-08-18
Catawba Co.
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Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: Caleb Garner on 2023-08-18
Wake Co.
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Hemaris diffinisRecorded by: Caleb Garner on 2023-08-18
Wake Co.
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