What is the creature that looks like a black and yellow striped bee
with a hummingbird head?  I saw one in my daylilies and can't find it
in any book.

Greetings Onelilartist:

I saw one of these creatures in upstate New York around 1985.  After
years of searching, I finally came upon an image of a hummingbird moth
and realized it was that insect.  When its wings are moving, they are
seemingly invisible.  I believe this Markj gave you the correct
answer.  For future questions, please note the Clarification feature
which allows for conversation before rating a Researcher's answer.

This species variant is called the Snowberry Clearwing Moth (yellow
and black)and is in the hummingbird moth family:
http://flzhgn.home.mindspring.com/clrwing.htm
http://www.birds-n-garden.com/snowberry_clearwing_moth.html

See the second picture on the site
http://flzhgn.home.mindspring.com/~flzhgn/humoth.htm for the yellow
and black.

Best regards,
journalist-ga