Hummingbird clearwing vs Tersa sphinx

These two are easy to mix up. Here's how to tell a hummingbird clearwing from a tersa sphinx, and whether either one bites or stings.

≠The key differences

Also hovers at flowers like a hummingbird, but flies by day and has clear, scale-free patches in the wings and an olive-and-burgundy body.

	Hummingbird clearwing	Tersa sphinx
To humans	Non-toxic	Non-toxic
Size	Wingspan 40-50 mm	Wingspan 55-85 mm
Colours	Olive green, Reddish-brown, Yellow, Clear/transparent	Olive green, Brown, Buff
Family	Sphingidae	Sphingidae
Habitat	Gardens, meadows, woodland edges, hedgerows and suburban areas where host shrubs and nectar flowers are present	Gardens, edges of woodlands, scrub, disturbed areas and open country where host plants grow
Range	Widespread across much of North America, from Alaska and southern Canada through the eastern and central United States; scarcer in the far southwest; range overlaps with other Hemaris species	Southeastern Canada (occasionally), widespread in the United States (mainly south and east), Mexico, Central America, much of South America, and Caribbean islands
Active	Spring to early autumn (two or more broods in warm areas); primarily diurnal (active by day), especially during sunny warm weather	Mainly crepuscular and nocturnal; year-round in warm regions, spring to fall in temperate areas
Pest?	No	No

Look for a moth that hovers at flowers like a hummingbird and extends a long proboscis while feeding
Check for partly transparent wing 'windows' where scales are missing, with colored margins on the wings
Note the olive-green thorax, burgundy band on the abdomen and pale legs
Caterpillars are green with a pale line along each side and a horn near the rear

Narrow, pointed forewings with wavy olive-green to brown banding and a pale discal streak on the forewing
Slender, streamlined body and long proboscis for nectar feeding
Wingspan about 55-85 mm; flies quickly at dusk and night and hovers at flowers

Also hovers at flowers like a hummingbird, but flies by day and has clear, scale-free patches in the wings and an olive-and-burgundy body.

Hummingbird clearwing: Non-toxic. Tersa sphinx: Non-toxic. Hummingbird clearwings do not bite or sting. Tersa sphinx moths are harmless to people.

Identification from photos is never certain: don't handle insects you can't identify, and get medical advice for bites, stings or allergic reactions.