# Insect ID assistance request

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-id-assistance-request/448335>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 6, 2008, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-id-assistance-request/448335 "2008-05-06T20:42:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-id-assistance-request/448335/1 "2008-05-06T20:42:08Z")

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A unique insect was observed the other day, which I mistook at first for a carpenter bee, owing to its hovering flight ability and approximate size. This insect had translucent wings which it moved very rapidly, yet was silent-no buzzing of any kind. The abdomen was black, except for some spotting about the distal end. It displayed a butterfly/moth like sucker which it used to sample nectar from small flower blossoms.

Doper insect experts-name that critter!

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**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-id-assistance-request/448335/2 "2008-05-06T20:55:14Z")

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Perhaps it’s one of the [_Hemaris_ clearwing moths](http://images.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&q=hemaris+)? There are several that can pass as bumblebees or carpenter bees.

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**Author:** ![Ms.Pumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a87d85/32.png) [@Ms.Pumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms.Pumpkin)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-id-assistance-request/448335/3 "2008-05-06T21:40:38Z")

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Did it look like this(bumblebee moth)?

[http://www.mxcat.com/bbm62503c.html](http://www.mxcat.com/bbm62503c.html)

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**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-id-assistance-request/448335/4 "2008-05-06T21:41:45Z")

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Ding! We have a winner. The third one down on the left ( **jayjay** ’s link) looks most like my visitor the other day. Thanks!

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**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-id-assistance-request/448335/5 "2008-05-06T22:03:56Z")

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Always glad to help on this stuff!