This was from last year, and seems to have similar coloring with regards to the front legs, but the body is not as bright yellow as the photo above.

This is from today. Apologies for the terrible quality, I was still in my bathrobe and took the pic through a window, not wanting my neighbors to think I was completely out of my mind! Again, this is a duller yellow, but the legs look much lighter than the first two.

Any thoughts are welcome! And yes, these are all on the same buddleia. They just love it. I have no idea what variety because I lost the tag...however, the tag also said this was a "dwarf variety, compact and shrub-like," and at over 5' tall and with 12"+ flower spikes, it is obviously not a "dwarf."

-Sandy.

Looks like a Hummingbird Clearwing; Snowberry Clearwings look more like a bumblebee.
What possible hosts do you have in your garden?
Do you have Honeysuckle or Viburnum?. HCWs use those as hosts.

So all three are hummingbird clearwings, do you think? As far as I know, I don't have any hosts, but we are near a large wooded park so there may be some there. No viburnum, but we do have one sad honeysuckle vine in the backyard, I don't think it is large enough to support anything though.

There are essentially only two Hummingbird Moths (a term that is used collectively along with Clearwing Moths) to identify this intriguing group of moths. In NJ, you are unlikely to come into contact with any other than Hemaris diffinis and/or Hemaris thysbe.

H. diffinis is usually referred to as SNOWBERRY CLEARWING
H. thysbe is usually referred to as HUMMINGBIRD CLEARWING

H. thysbe is differentiated by it's much more orange/brown coloration. As with most moths and butterflies, coloration between individuals varies greatly.

In NJ, you are far more likely to see H. diffinis. For field identification, unless it is strongly rusty/red, it is probably H. diffinis, the Snowberry Clearwing.

The attached photo is the SNOWBERRY CLEARWING.

Since I am too inept to post multiple images on this site, I will post another reply below this one with the HUMMINGBIRD CLEARWING.

Hope this helps!

Bob

This is Hemaris thysbe, the HUMMINGBIRD CLEARWING.

Bob

Bob-thanks so much. The ones I have been seeing are definitely not that rusty shade, but rather shades ranging from yellow-brown, to bright yellow. Remarkable variation in shades! So now I know their names, and can do some more research accordingly.

Thanks again!
Sandy.

Thanks for all that info and what beautiful pictures! Thanks for sharing.