iN PHOTOS: These moths photographed in Kamloops look like hummingbirds | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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iN PHOTOS: These moths photographed in Kamloops look like hummingbirds

Hummingbird clearwing moth in Kamloops.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Lyn MacDonald

Kamloops photographers are taking pictures of a unique moth that looks like a lot like a hummingbird, but they have to be skilled to get a good capture.

The colourful hummingbird clearwing moth is a fast flyer that mimics hummingbirds.

"When I observed them, they seem to go about each flower gently and silently, they're not clumsy like bumble bees," said Kamloops photographer Nancy Donnithorne who snapped a pair mating on her lilac bushes. "They are quite unique and beautiful in markings, especially their wings that are transparent with a dark outline. The two in my shot were mating and the leaf was giving a little privacy."

Another Kamloops photographer, Tyleen Barker, said it's the first time she's spotted the moth since living in the area for over two decades but remembers seeing them while growing up in Quesnel. 

"This guy was quite quick but I was lucky enough to catch a shot while he was feeding from the flowers," she said. "I just love these insects, I was surprised to see one in my garden. I hope more come around, they are so unique and pretty." 

The moths can be seen in second-growth habitats and gardens across the country during the summer months in similar ranges as hummingbirds, according to Nature Canada.

The wings are four to six inches across and clear with reddish-brown borders and veins, and the body is olive, tan and golden with a dark abdomen. Using their long proboscis the moths drink nectar from a wide variety of flowers.

READ MORE: Birders flock to Kelowna to get photo of rarely seen species

Hummingbird clearwing moth on lilacs near Kamloops.
Hummingbird clearwing moth on lilacs near Kamloops.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Doug Giles

In southern Canada and the U.S. there are two broods of the moths every year, from March to June and from August to October. Up north in the colder climates, one brood of the moths appears from April to August.

Have you taken photos of hummingbird clearwing moths in your neighbourhood this spring? Send them to news@infonews.ca.

Hummingbird clearwing moth on a dandelion near Kamloops.
Hummingbird clearwing moth on a dandelion near Kamloops.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Doug Giles

Hummingbird clearwing moth feeding on nectar from garden flowers in Kamloops.
Hummingbird clearwing moth feeding on nectar from garden flowers in Kamloops.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Tyleen Barker

Two hummingbird clearwing moths mating on lilacs in a Kamloops garden.
Two hummingbird clearwing moths mating on lilacs in a Kamloops garden.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Nancy Donnithorne

Hummingbird clearwing moth sucking nectar from dandelion near Kamloops.
Hummingbird clearwing moth sucking nectar from dandelion near Kamloops.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Doug Giles

To contact a reporter for this story, email Shannon Ainslie or call 250-819-6089 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

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