Black and yellow striped hummingbird

I must deviate from bird news to speak of other winged creatures, the snowberry clearwing and the hummingbird clearwing. These two belong to a group known as the sphinx moths and they mimic hummingbirds in shape, size and behavior. They have been everywhere this summer. The hummingbird moths are about an inch to an inch and a quarter long and their swept-back wings are about two inches long.

Adaptation doesn't have to be dramatic. It is, after all, simply the process of gaining advantage in a given environment. It can seem quite pedestrian when it involves a longer beak, thicker fur or better camouflage. But then there are the adaptations that can only be described as magical. The development of the eye, which happened several times independently, speaks to a wondrous use of the cells at hand. Viewed through the right lens, the resulting ability to apprehend and analyze the world from a few inches or a few miles away is nothing less than a superpower.

The Hummingbird Clearwing Hemaris thysbe — also known as the Hummingbird Moth [1] — is a small moth that may be seen in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York in summer. It is a member of the Sphingidae or Sphynx Moth family. Named because its movement mimics that of a hummingbird, adult Hummingbird Clearwings, in contrast to many moths, are day fliers.

The Parts of a Hummingbird:. The bright-colored area on the throat and chin is called a gorget. Female hummingbirds do not have a gorget. It is a good idea to look at the tail.