Quick Answer
No, there is no such species as a “Bumblebee Hummingbird.” This term most likely refers to the Bumblebee Hummingbird moth (Hemaris diffinis), which is a species of sphinx moth that resembles a hummingbird in appearance and behavior. The moth got its common name due to its similarities to bumblebees and hummingbirds. However, it is an insect, not an actual bird.
What is the Bumblebee Hummingbird Moth?
The Bumblebee Hummingbird moth, also sometimes called the Hummingbird Clearwing or Hummingbird Sphinx, is a medium-sized moth native to North and Central America. It belongs to the family Sphingidae, known as sphinx moths or hawk moths.
Some key facts about the Bumblebee Hummingbird moth:
- Species name: Hemaris diffinis
- Wingspan: 1.6 – 2.4 inches (4 – 6 cm)
- Coloration: Black and yellow stripes on body, clear wings with reddish veins
- Mimics: Resembles a bumblebee or hummingbird in appearance and behavior
- Range: Throughout North America from Southern Canada to Northern Mexico
- Habitat: Open fields, meadows, gardens, forests
- Life cycle: Eggs laid on host plants, caterpillar stage feeds on plants, pupates underground over winter, adults emerge in spring
- Adult diet: Nectar from flowers
- Plants used: Honeysuckles, snowberries, viburnums, hawthorns
The Bumblebee Hummingbird moth gets its name from its physical resemblance to bumblebees and the way it hovers and feeds on flower nectar much like a hummingbird. When in flight, it can be easily mistaken for one of these insects rather than a moth.
Physical Description
The Bumblebee Hummingbird moth has a furry-looking yellow and black striped body, with a wingspan reaching 1.6 – 2.4 inches. Its thorax and abdomen are covered in dense yellowish or orange hairs, creating the bumblebee-like stripes. The legs are black and spiny.
The wings are unique in that they are mostly transparent with a reddish-orange tint, displaying the red-colored veins throughout. This clear wing design gives rise to one of its other common names, the Hummingbird Clearwing. The transparent wings allow the moth to be an excellent mimic of bumblebees and hummingbirds in flight.
The moth’s head is black and relatively small. The antennae are thickened in the middle and black-colored. Adult moths have a long proboscis that uncurls to reach nectar at the base of tubular flowers, much like the beak of a hummingbird.
Behavior and Habits
The Bumblebee Hummingbird moth exhibits some interesting behaviors and habits:
- Feeding: Adults primarily feed on nectar from flowers using their long proboscis. They prefer tubular-shaped flowers and can hover in place like hummingbirds while unfurling their proboscis into the blossoms.
- Flight: Powerful and swift flyers, capable of sudden bursts of speed. The clear wings allow them to blend in with the motion of bumblebee wings during flight.
- Pollinators: While feeding on nectar, they end up cross-pollinating the flowers they visit.
- Mimicry: Their appearance and behavior mimic bumblebees and hummingbirds, likely as a form of protection against predators.
- Habitat: Found in open fields, meadows, gardens, and at the edges of forests and woodlands.
- Nectar plants: Adults visit many flowering plants but prefer honeysuckles, snowberries, viburnums, hawthorns and others with tubular blossoms.
- Larval hosts: Caterpillars feed on the leaves of honeysuckles (Lonicera) and snowberries (Symphoricarpos).
- Nocturnal: Primarily active at dawn and dusk.
- Overwintering: Pupae remain underground through the winter months, emerging when temperatures warm up the following spring.
The moths are important pollinators that contribute to the pollination of many wildflowers and garden plants. Their co-evolution with several native plant groups has helped those species survive and evolve as well.
Life Cycle
The Bumblebee Hummingbird moth goes through a complete metamorphosis with distinct egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages:
- Eggs: Females lay eggs singly on the underside of leaves of the host plants, which are usually honeysuckles and snowberries.
- Caterpillar: The pale green larvae that emerge will feed on the leaves of the host plant. They have a horn on the rear end typical of sphinx moth caterpillars.
- Pupa: After feeding for 2-3 weeks, the caterpillar will drop to the ground and burrow underground to pupate. It will overwinter as a pupa.
- Adult: The adult moth emerges the following spring or early summer after pupating. It lives for several weeks to a few months as an adult.
- Flight Period: The adult has one brood that flies from late spring through mid-summer.
The Bumblebee Hummingbird moth has one generation per year. The pupal stage overwinters underground before emerging as an adult in the springtime.
Range and Distribution
The Bumblebee Hummingbird moth is found widely distributed throughout many parts of North America. Its range extends:
- North to Southern Canada
- South to Central Mexico
- West to the Rocky Mountains
- East throughout Eastern North America
Within this range, the moth can be found anywhere there are suitable habitats providing its larval host plants and nectar sources. It is common in fields, meadows, gardens, parks, and at the edges of woodlands.
Relationship with Hummingbirds
The Bumblebee Hummingbird moth shares some interesting connections and relationships with real hummingbirds despite not actually being a bird itself:
- Their appearance and behavior have evolved to closely resemble hummingbirds, likely as a form of mimicry to protect against predators.
- Both the moth and hummingbird feed on nectar from long, tubular flowers using a specialized proboscis.
- They can both hover in place while accessing nectar, a behavior unique among insects and birds.
- Their feeding contributes to cross-pollination of some of the same plant species.
- Hummingbirds are diurnal while the moth is nocturnal or crepuscular, so they occupy similar niches at different times.
- In areas where they co-occur, they may compete for some of the same flower resources.
- Because of the mimicry, the moths are able to take advantage of the hummingbirds’ protected status from predators.
The similarities allow the moth to cunningly blend in to the hummingbird niche and minimize predation. But the two species have very different life cycles and evolutionary lineages despite their superficial resemblances.
Other Interesting Facts
Some other interesting facts about the Bumblebee Hummingbird moth:
- Originally classified by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775.
- Member of the Sphingidae family which has over 1,200 described species.
- Also referred to as the Hummingbird Hawk-Moth which can cause confusion with the species Hemaris thysbe.
- The caterpillars have a horn on the rear end typical of hornworms.
- Sometimes will hover close to actual hummingbirds, underscoring their mimicry.
- Species name “diffinis” means “different” or “distinct” in Latin, referring to its distinction from related species.
- Adults live on average 20 to 45 days which is longer than some related sphinx moths.
- Unrelated to the hummingbird clearwing moth (Hemaris thysbe) which is also called the hummingbird moth.
Conservation Status
The Bumblebee Hummingbird moth has an extensive range and large total population across North America. It is considered common and widespread throughout most of its broad habitat range. For these reasons, it is not currently considered threatened or endangered.
However, like many insects, potential risks include:
- Pesticide use reducing larval host plants and nectar sources
- Climate change disrupting suitable habitats and timing of emergence
- Spread of invasive plants that reduce native larval and nectar plants
Providing adequate habitats with native plant species can help support healthy Bumblebee Hummingbird moth populations. Limiting pesticide use where possible is also beneficial. More research is still needed on its full population status and trends.
Conclusion
While the name “Bumblebee Hummingbird” may bring to mind a vivid hybrid of an insect and bird, no such animal exists in nature. The name actually refers to the Bumblebee Hummingbird moth, a fascinating sphinx moth species that has evolved to mimic the appearance and behavior of bumblebees and hummingbirds. This impressive mimicry allows it to take advantage of feeding on tubular flowers, hovering flight, and protection from predators. The moth has its own unique life cycle tied to certain host plants, and fills an interesting ecological niche by pollinating flowers. While not a true bird, the Bumblebee Hummingbird moth remains a charismatic and important pollinator throughout the regions it inhabits. Appreciating the remarkable diversity and adaptations of insects such as this can help us better understand the interconnectedness and balance of the natural world.