Hummingbird Clearwing Moth vs Aurora Morpho

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Hummingbird Clearwing Moth Aurora Morpho
Scientific Name Hemaris thysbe Morpho aurora
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Sphingidae Nymphalidae
Size 38-50 mm wingspan 80-100 mm wingspan
Habitat Woodlands Forests
Diet Nectar Feeders Sap Feeders
Regions Eastern North America from Canada to the Gulf states South America (Peru, Bolivia)
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Hummingbird Clearwing Moth

A day-flying sphinx moth with transparent wings bordered in reddish-brown that closely resembles a hummingbird. It hovers at flowers while feeding with its long proboscis.

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Did You Know?

Its wings are initially covered in scales when it emerges from its cocoon, but the scales fall off during its first flight, leaving them transparent.

Aurora Morpho

A relatively small Morpho butterfly with a distinctive reddish-orange band across its dark brown wings, quite unlike the blue of most relatives. The undersides feature complex brown and ochre patterns with small eyespots. It inhabits montane forests on the eastern slopes of the Andes.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the few Morpho species that lacks blue coloration entirely, instead displaying warm orange and brown tones.