Weekly Wildlife at the Garden: Mistaken Identity

Posted in Wildlife on August 18 2015, by Patricia Gonzalez

Patricia Gonzalez is an NYBG Visitor Services Attendant and avid wildlife photographer.

Of all the insects that I’ve photographed at the Garden, the hummingbird clearwing moth is easily the most challenging to capture. At first glance it resembles a shrimp with translucent wings—each one bordered in red—making it a real stand-out among the wildlife that calls NYBG home. The Home Gardening Center is one of the best spots to see these insects, which are often mistaken for hummingbirds.

A hummingbird clearwing moth (Hemaris thysbe) in the Home Gardening Center – Photo by Patricia Gonzalez