Each species wings have the characteristic transparent patches, and the males have a dramatic anal tuft. Gardeners don t have to plant special flowers to attract the adults, but the larvae do require specific shrubs for food. If you re interested in enticing these pollinators into your yard, first find out which species range in your area, then grow some of the caterpillars favorite plants. Following are some tips to attract and recognize the species. Look for narrow or broad bands on the abdomen and a muddy-yellow or brown thorax.
Males have a distinctive black tuft at the tip of their abdomen.
Plant hawthorn, honeysuckle, snowberry, cherry and plum trees or shrubs to feed their caterpillars. Ranging from Nova Scotia to Florida, across to California and north to British Columbia, snowberry clearwings have more black markings on the thorax, abdomen and legs than other clearwings. Plant dogbane, snowberries and honeysuckle, especially dwarf bush, to feed their caterpillars. The abdomen, which has a broad yellow band, is black or olive-green above and yellow below. Their wings have a very narrow brown border and the clear parts of the wings have a steel-blue luster.