Strange beast sighting

Trodding back to my car from a day on the water, I was passing through a
phlox patch, and saw what I thought was a large honeybee gathering nectar.
This might seem quite stupid, but I'm pretty sure it was not a honeybee.
It seemed to be about twice the size of a honeybee. The wing beats were
extremely fast, and it darted about more like what I think of in a
hummingbird-- very good hover, rapid darting pattern with extremely sudden
stops. There were some prominent yellow and black stripes on the back,
where an abdomen would want to be--maybe two yellow and one black.

I didn't get a close enough look to categorically say there was no beak, so
I can't be sure, but I thought I saw a rather prominent probiscus for
nectar collection-- maybe some sort of odd moth??

I was with somebody else, and neither of us would identify this as a bee.
Any ideas? I'm in Western NY, if that helps.



--
Scott
Reverse name to reply

Scott Seidman wrote:
Trodding back to my car from a day on the water, I was passing through a
phlox patch, and saw what I thought was a large honeybee gathering nectar.
This might seem quite stupid, but I'm pretty sure it was not a honeybee.
It seemed to be about twice the size of a honeybee. The wing beats were
extremely fast, and it darted about more like what I think of in a
hummingbird-- very good hover, rapid darting pattern with extremely sudden
stops. There were some prominent yellow and black stripes on the back,
where an abdomen would want to be--maybe two yellow and one black.

I didn't get a close enough look to categorically say there was no beak, so
I can't be sure, but I thought I saw a rather prominent probiscus for
nectar collection-- maybe some sort of odd moth??

I was with somebody else, and neither of us would identify this as a bee.
Any ideas? I'm in Western NY, if that helps.



Probablt a clearwing moth. See
http://www.birds-n-garden.com/snowbe...ird_moths.html

Not sure yours would be same species, but the family would be the same.

Also, see photos at


http://www.naturalsciences.org/funst...bird_moth.html

also scroll down to at least the third photo on
http://www.whatsthatbug.com/clearwing_moth.html

Tim Lysyk

Tim Lysyk wrote:
Scott Seidman wrote:

I didn't get a close enough look to categorically say there was no
beak, so I can't be sure, but I thought I saw a rather prominent
probiscus for nectar collection-- maybe some sort of odd moth??


Probablt a clearwing moth. See
http://www.birds-n-garden.com/snowbe...ird_moths.html

Not sure yours would be same species, but the family would be the same.

Also, see photos at


http://www.naturalsciences.org/funst...bird_moth.html


also scroll down to at least the third photo on
http://www.whatsthatbug.com/clearwing_moth.html

Tim Lysyk


Sorry, that should have been clear-winged *sphinx* moth. There is a
different family called clearwinged moths that resemble wasps.

Tim Lysyk

On Tue, 29 May 2007 12:50:11 GMT, Tim Lysyk
wrote:

Tim Lysyk wrote:
Scott Seidman wrote:

I didn't get a close enough look to categorically say there was no
beak, so I can't be sure, but I thought I saw a rather prominent
probiscus for nectar collection-- maybe some sort of odd moth??


Probablt a clearwing moth. See
http://www.birds-n-garden.com/snowbe...ird_moths.html

Not sure yours would be same species, but the family would be the same.

Also, see photos at


http://www.naturalsciences.org/funst...bird_moth.html


also scroll down to at least the third photo on
http://www.whatsthatbug.com/clearwing_moth.html

Tim Lysyk


Sorry, that should have been clear-winged *sphinx* moth. There is a
different family called clearwinged moths that resemble wasps.

Tim Lysyk

And a couple of happy hours later I emerged from the whatsthatbug
page. And I'd only seen the hummingbird / hawk moths. Thanks for the
link.
--

r.bc: vixen
Minnow goddess, Speaker to squirrels, willow watcher.
Almost entirely harmless. Really.

http://www.visi.com/~cyli

In article , Scott
Seidman writes
Trodding back to my car from a day on the water, I was passing through a
phlox patch, and saw what I thought was a large honeybee gathering nectar.
This might seem quite stupid, but I'm pretty sure it was not a honeybee.
It seemed to be about twice the size of a honeybee. The wing beats were
extremely fast, and it darted about more like what I think of in a
hummingbird-- very good hover, rapid darting pattern with extremely sudden
stops. There were some prominent yellow and black stripes on the back,
where an abdomen would want to be--maybe two yellow and one black.

I didn't get a close enough look to categorically say there was no beak, so
I can't be sure, but I thought I saw a rather prominent probiscus for
nectar collection-- maybe some sort of odd moth??

I was with somebody else, and neither of us would identify this as a bee.
Any ideas? I'm in Western NY, if that helps.




There is a moth - well in the UK there is - called a Humming Bird Moth
due to its resemblance to said bird. - look it up when you have a
chance.
--
Bill Grey

Scott Seidman wrote in
. 1.4:

Trodding back to my car from a day on the water, I was passing through
a phlox patch, and saw what I thought was a large honeybee gathering
nectar. This might seem quite stupid, but I'm pretty sure it was not
a honeybee. It seemed to be about twice the size of a honeybee. The
wing beats were extremely fast, and it darted about more like what I
think of in a hummingbird-- very good hover, rapid darting pattern
with extremely sudden stops. There were some prominent yellow and
black stripes on the back, where an abdomen would want to be--maybe
two yellow and one black.

I didn't get a close enough look to categorically say there was no
beak, so I can't be sure, but I thought I saw a rather prominent
probiscus for nectar collection-- maybe some sort of odd moth??

I was with somebody else, and neither of us would identify this as a
bee. Any ideas? I'm in Western NY, if that helps.




Thanks all,

Mystery solved.

--
Scott
Reverse name to reply

Scott Seidman wrote:
Trodding back to my car from a day on the water, I was passing through a
phlox patch, and saw what I thought was a large honeybee gathering nectar.

Sounds like Mothra!

http://www.lewrockwell.com/rogers/mothra.jpg

"Scott Seidman" wrote in message
. 1.4...
Trodding back to my car from a day on the water, I was passing through a
phlox patch, and saw what I thought was a large honeybee gathering nectar.
This might seem quite stupid, but I'm pretty sure it was not a honeybee.
It seemed to be about twice the size of a honeybee. The wing beats were
extremely fast, and it darted about more like what I think of in a
hummingbird-- very good hover, rapid darting pattern with extremely sudden
stops. There were some prominent yellow and black stripes on the back,
where an abdomen would want to be--maybe two yellow and one black.

I didn't get a close enough look to categorically say there was no beak,
so
I can't be sure, but I thought I saw a rather prominent probiscus for
nectar collection-- maybe some sort of odd moth??

I was with somebody else, and neither of us would identify this as a bee.
Any ideas? I'm in Western NY, if that helps.



--
Scott

It sounds like the teeny-tiny flying unicorns in our neck of the woods.

Op

"Opus--Mark H. Bowen" wrote in news:zF07i.5446
:

It sounds like the teeny-tiny flying unicorns in our neck of the woods.


I'll have what he's having!

--
Scott
Reverse name to reply

On May 29, 8:19 am, Scott Seidman wrote:
Trodding back to my car from a day on the water, I was passing through a
phlox patch, and saw what I thought was a large honeybee gathering nectar.
This might seem quite stupid, but I'm pretty sure it was not a honeybee.
It seemed to be about twice the size of a honeybee. The wing beats were
extremely fast, and it darted about more like what I think of in a
hummingbird-- very good hover, rapid darting pattern with extremely sudden
stops. There were some prominent yellow and black stripes on the back,
where an abdomen would want to be--maybe two yellow and one black.

I didn't get a close enough look to categorically say there was no beak, so
I can't be sure, but I thought I saw a rather prominent probiscus for
nectar collection-- maybe some sort of odd moth??

I was with somebody else, and neither of us would identify this as a bee.
Any ideas? I'm in Western NY, if that helps.

--
Scott
Reverse name to reply

Around here, we have a species of hornet that looks like a honey bee,
but is about an inch to an inch and a half long. They suck nectar
from sweet smelling flowers and will chew into the bark of certain
trees to start a sap flow, which they lap up. One ate a hole in my
cap on time.

I presume they can sting. I know they can sure bite into stuff.

Steve,
Maryland