This moth was a new one to me...I swore it was a wasp until I saw it up-close. This must be ulimate in insect impersonation!
Moth or Wasp?
Kinda looks like a yellow jacket with waspy parts.
That is one of the clearwing moths from the Sesiidae family. Your one is the Hornet Clearwing Moth - Sesia apiformis http://bugguide.net/node/view/15972/bgimage
http://tolweb.org/tree?group=Sesioidea
awesome shot Todd
Great photo Todd. Sure does look like a wasp at first glance.
Wow - how cool! What a great shot! I thought wasp at first, but those antenna are a dead giveaway... I have never seen anything like it before. Thanks for sharing!
Wow is right! I'd love to see one of these. I had no idea they existed. I can see me now, outside inspecting all the bees and wasps with my magnifying glass.
Thanks Kennedyh for the ID.....looks like we have yet another insect that will attack poplars!
Those clearwings sure are interesting. I have Humminbird clearwings in my yard, first time I saw one (from a distance) I initially thought it was a teeny hummingbird. Then I got closer and thought it was a big furry bumblebee. THEN I saw the long antennae and thought "WTH is this thing?" LOL
Yours really does look hornetlike. If I saw it flying near me I'd be reaching for the swatter.
Here's one of mine:
Great picture BeginnerLucky -- I've been trying to get a shot of mine but can't get close enough with my digital zoom ... I have two of these at the Phlox this year ... love them ...
I've seen a few clear wings in my garden this summer but the hornet one was a first. I've yet to be lucky enough to get a pic of the hummingbird hawkmoths.
I got a lot of pics of this one the other night. I started from far away then got closer and closer. It didn't seem bothered by me at all.
sorry, don't know why that pic is so big
This message was edited Aug 2, 2005 5:53 PM
Most of the time it was below me too.
wicked pics!
Lovely pictures of the White-lined Sphinx Moth (Hyles lineata) http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/moths/usa/1066.htm
Thanks! Get a load of this pic...it's not as clear but are those it's legs?! Weird!
Beautiful pics, everyone! I would love to see the hornet one in person. I have several pics of the hummingbird moth, but not as good as yours Konkrete. I like the pink on the white-lined, too....
Nice....