See text Hemaris is a genus of sphinx moths in the subfamily Macroglossinae, which is native to the Holarctic.

The related Old World hummingbird hawk-moths, genus Macroglossum, are similar in appearance and habits.

Both genera have tails that are provided with an expansile truncated tuft of hairs,[2] but only Hemaris has the disc of the wings transparent, as these scales are dropped soon after eclosion.

The imagoes, or adults, are small, diurnal moths that resemble bumblebees in shape.

The antennae are strongly clubbed in both sexes and each has a small, recurved hook at the end.