Hemaris diffinis (correct as diffinis), Ettrick, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin,
July 15, 2012, courtesy of Donald Severson.

Hemaris diffinis, Ettrick, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin,
July 15, 2012, courtesy of Donald Severson.

Don Severson writes, "These were also found in Trempealeau County. I don't find as many of these as Hemaris thysbe. I generally find both species of these clearwings on monarda and on phlox.

"You also list Hemaris gracilis on your Trempealeau County website, but I don't know if I'd be able to differentiate between that and Hemaris thysbe."

"Hemaris diffinis most closely resembles a bubble bee with yellow and BLACK body hairs. Legs of diffinis are black, and there is strong black bar running through eye and upper thorax on diffinis.

"Hemaris gracilis has reddish legs, and a red bar running through the eye on the side of the head and thorax. It more closely resembles thysbe with greenish and reddish body hairs, but there is no strong indentation on inner edge of broad maroon band on forewing in gracilis.

"The strong indentation on that band is a distinguishing character for thysbe which has off white legs and lacks the stong red band or bar running through the eye on the side of the head and upper thorax. Instead, there is a weaker black line." Bill Oehlke

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke.
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

TAXONOMY: Family: Sphingidae, Latreille, 1802 Subfamily: Macroglossinae, Harris, 1839 Tribe: Dilophonotini, Burmeister, 1878 Genus: Hemaris (Dalman, 1816) ........... Species: diffinis (Boisduval, 1836)

Enjoy some of nature's wonderments, giant silk moth cocoons. These cocoons are for sale winter and fall. Beautiful Saturniidae moths will emerge the following spring and summer. Read Actias luna rearing article. Additional online help available.

Use your browser "Back" button to return to the previous page.

This page is brought to you by Bill Oehlke and the WLSS. Pages are on space rented from Bizland. If you would like to become a "Patron of the Sphingidae Site", contact Bill.

Please send sightings/images to Bill. I will do my best to respond to requests for identification help.

Show appreciation for this site by clicking on flashing butterfly to the left. The link will take you to a page with links to many insect sites.