Snowberry Clearwing vs Tinkerbell Fairyfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Snowberry Clearwing Tinkerbell Fairyfly
Scientific Name Hemaris diffinis Tinkerbella nana
Order Lepidoptera Hymenoptera
Family Sphingidae Mymaridae
Size 32-50 mm wingspan 0.25 mm
Habitat Underground Underground
Diet Nectar Feeders Parasitoids
Regions North America Central America
Conservation Least Concern Data Deficient

Snowberry Clearwing

A bumblebee mimic with largely transparent wings bordered in dark brown, a fuzzy olive thorax, and black and yellow banding on the abdomen. It feeds while hovering at flowers.

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Did You Know?

This moth is born with scales on its wings but they fall off during the first flight, leaving the characteristic clear windows.

Tinkerbell Fairyfly

One of the smallest insects ever described, named after Peter Pans Tinker Bell. Discovered in Costa Rica in 2013. Measures only 0.25 mm in length.

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Did You Know?

Named after the fairy Tinkerbell, this wasp is so tiny it can stand on the tip of a human hair — it was described in 2013 from specimens collected using specialized micro-traps.