Hemaris gracilis, June 9, 2004, Cummington, Massachusetts, courtesy of Barbara Spencer.

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: gracilis [Grote & Robinson, 1865]

DISTRIBUTION:

The Slender Clearwing or Graceful Clearwing Moth (wingspan: 1 9/16 - 1 3/4 inches (4 - 4.5 cm)) is probably the least common of the four Hemaris species of North America. Hemaris gracilis moths range from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, Canada, to central Florida along the East Coast and west through New England to Michigan. It has now been confirmed as far west as Saskatchewan in Canada.

I have not seen this species on Prince Edward Island, Canada. These moths are diurnal and are most often seen nectaring during the day at flowers. Note the smooth inner edge of the burgundy forewing outer margin and the reddish upper surface of the legs.

Hemaris gracilis, Bathurst, New Brunswick,
July 3, 2018, courtesy of Krista Melville.

The very red dorsal surface of the legs helps to distinguish gracilis from thysbe.

Hemaris gracilis, Peterborough, Ontario, May 30, 2007, courtesy of Tim Dyson.

Hemaris gracilis is distinguished from similar species by a pair of red-brown bands on the sides of the thorax, which varies from green to yellow-green dorsally and sometimes brown with white underneath. They have a red abdomen. The wings are transparent with reddish brown borders. The outer edge of the forewing transparent area is even and the forewing cell has a median row of scales. Also note the red coloration on dorsal surfaceof legs. Hemaris gracilis, Peterborough, Ontario, May 30, 2007, courtesy of Tim Dyson.

Hemaris gracilis, June 9, 2004, Cummington, Massachusetts, courtesy of Barbara Spencer.

Note the red-brown bands on the underside of the thorax, and the red upper surfaces of the legs. In the slightly larger species, Hemaris thysbe (below), the underside of the thorax lacks the red-brown bands, and the upper surfaces of the legs are off-white. Also in H. thysbe, the outer edge of the forewing transparent area is irregular with red-brown projections emanating from the outer margin, particularly at mid wing.

Hemaris thysbe on butterfly bush, June 5, 2003,
Lexington County, South Carolina, courtesy of Scott Wilson.

In Hemaris thysbe above, note the pale area below the wing junctures and legs (right side above) and the irregular edge of the burgundy-brown outer margin (left forewing above) as it projects (mid wing) into the clear area of the forewing.

Hemaris gracilis, Peterborough, Ontario, May 30, 2007, courtesy of Tim Dyson.

Hemaris gracilis, Peterborough, Ontario, May 30, 2007, courtesy of Tim Dyson.

FLIGHT TIMES:

There are probably two broods annually from March-August depending upon latitude. The moth is seen along forest edges, in meadows, gardens and brushy fields. Adult like to nectar from flowers including pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata), blackberry and raspberry (Rubus species), dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), orange hawkweed (Hieracium aurantiacum), and phlox (Phlox species) as well as on blueberry blossoms.

Derek Bridgehouse sends the following image and data from Nova Scotia:

Hemaris gracilis, Colchester Co., Debert, 17-July-2008, Derek Bridgehouse
Hemaris gracilis, Halifax Co., Drysdsled Bog, 17-July-2011, Derek Bridgehouse
Hemaris gracilis, Hants Co., Pockwock, 12-July -2017, Derek Bridgehouse

ECLOSION:

Regular sized moths emerge from seemingly small pupae when this species is reared in captivity.

Larvae pupate in thin walled cocoons under leaf litter.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Females call in the males with a pheromone released from a gland at the tip of the abdomen.

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE:

Females feed and lay eggs on the underside of new leaves during the day.

Larval foods are blueberries including low bush blueberry (Vaccinium vacillans), and laurel (Kalmia), all in the heath family (Ericaceae).

Pupation is in a very flimsy cocoon at ground surface. The inch long pupa is brown.

Hemaris gracilis, Quebec, by Alexandre Fournier

Those who first published descriptions and assigned scientific names to many insects, simply chose names of biblical or mythological origin without any real descriptive qualities. Their purpose was simply to set a standard for purposes of identification by assigned name. On some occasions, names, mostly of Latin or Greek origin, were chosen to signify a particular character of the genus or of an individual species.

The genus name "Hemaris" is probably a Latin adjective form for blood. It may have been chosen by Dalman based on the burgundy-red scales on the wings.

The species name "gracilis" comes from the Latin word for slender or graceful.

The pronunciation of scientific names is troublesome for many. The "suggestion" at the top of the page is merely a suggestion. It is based on commonly accepted English pronunciation of Greek names and/or some fairly well accepted "rules" for latinized scientific names.

The suggested pronunciations, on this page and on other pages, are primarily put forward to assist those who hear with internal ears as they read.

There are many collectors from different countries whose intonations and accents would be different.

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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.

Eggs of many North American species are offered during the spring and summer. Occasionally summer Actias luna and summer Antheraea polyphemus cocoons are available. Shipping to US destinations is done from with in the US.

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