“Nature is full of by-ends. A moth feeds on a petal, in a moment the pollen caught on its breast will be wedding this blossom to another in the next county.” — George Iles
The Hummingbird Clearwing Moth is one of those insects that most people mistake for a hummingbird and keep walking. It’s roughly the same size, hovers the same way, and feeds from flowers the same way. The resemblance isn’t accidental — it’s a survival strategy called Batesian mimicry, where a harmless species imitates a more threatening one to deter predators.
What gives it away, if you look closely, is the body — banded red and gold with a dark tail brush — and the clear wing patches that earned the “clearwing” name. The long curled proboscis is also distinctly moth-like, reaching into the verbena bloom with more precision than you’d expect from something moving that fast.
These moths are actually pretty common in Louisiana through late spring and summer. You just have to slow down enough to notice them.
Leave a Reply