The Sesiidae or clearwing moths are a diurnal moth

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

in the order

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) or lepidopterans is an order (biology), order of winged insects which includes butterflies and moths. About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera have been described, representing 10% of the total described species of living organ ...

known for their

Batesian mimicry Batesian mimicry is a form of mimicry where a harmless species has evolved to imitate the warning signals of a harmful species directed at a predator of them both. It is named after the English naturalist Henry Walter Bates, who worked on butt ...

in both appearance and behaviour of various

Hymenoptera Hymenoptera is a large order of insects, comprising the sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants. Over 150,000 living species of Hymenoptera have been described, in addition to over 2,000 extinct ones. Many of the species are parasitic. Females typi ...

. The family consists of 165

genera Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...

spread over two subfamilies, containing in total 1525

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

and 49

subspecies In Taxonomy (biology), biological classification, subspecies (: subspecies) is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (Morphology (biology), morpholog ...

, most of which occur in the

tropics The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the equator, where the sun may shine directly overhead. This contrasts with the temperate or polar regions of Earth, where the Sun can never be directly overhead. This is because of Earth's ax ...

, though there are many species in the

Holarctic The Holarctic realm is a biogeographic realm that comprises the majority of habitats found throughout the continents in the Northern Hemisphere. It corresponds to the floristic Boreal Kingdom. It includes both the Nearctic zoogeographical reg ...

region as well, including over a hundred species known to occur in Europe.

Morphology

Sesiidae are characterized by their hymenopteriform

, frequently of identifiable species. Most species of Sesiidae have wings with areas where

scales Scale or scales may refer to: Mathematics * Scale (descriptive set theory), an object defined on a set of points * Scale (ratio), the ratio of a linear dimension of a model to the corresponding dimension of the original * Scale factor, a number ...

are nearly completely absent, resulting in partial, marked transparency. Forewings are commonly elongated and narrow in the basal half. In many species, the abdomen is elongated, with an anal tuft, and striped or ringed yellow, red or white, sometimes very brightly so. Legs are long, thin and frequently coloured, and in some species the hind-legs are elongated. In European species, the wing span ranges from 8 to 48 mm.

Larva A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...

e lack pigment. Segments of the

thorax The thorax (: thoraces or thoraxes) or chest is a part of the anatomy of mammals and other tetrapod animals located between the neck and the abdomen. In insects, crustaceans, and the extinct trilobites, the thorax is one of the three main di ...

are somewhat enlarged.

Behaviour

The

larva A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...

e of the Sesiidae typically bore in wood or burrow in plant roots. Many species are serious pests of fruit-tree or timber cultivation, or crop plants (e.g. ''

Melittia ''Melittia'' is a genus of moths in the family Sesiidae. Species *'' Melittia abyssiniensis'' Hampson, 1919 *'' Melittia acosmetes'' Hampson, 1919 *'' Melittia afonini'' Gorbunov & Arita, 1999 *'' Melittia amboinensis'' Felder, 1861 *'' Mel ...

'' spp. on

squash Squash most often refers to: * Squash (sport), the high-speed racquet sport also known as squash racquets * Squash (plant), the fruit of vines of the genus ''Cucurbita'' Squash may also refer to: Sports * Squash (professional wrestling), an extr ...

) (Edwards et al., 1999). Larval development lasts 1–4 years, pupal stage 10–20 days. Adults are diurnally active. Specimens are commonly collected using pheromone lures. Movements, including hovering flight, mimic those of Hymenoptera spp.

Taxonomy

*Subfamily

Tinthiinae The Tinthiinae are a subfamily of clearwing moths, first established in 1917 by Ferdinand Le Cerf. Tribes and genera Tinthiinae consists of twenty-four genera across four tribes: Tinthiini * '' Microsphecia'' Bartel 1912 * ''Tinthia'' Walker ...

Le Cerf, 1917 **Tribe Tinthiini Le Cerf, 1917 ***''

Microsphecia ''Microsphecia'' is a genus of moths in the family Sesiidae The Sesiidae or clearwing moths are a diurnality, diurnal moth family (biology), family in the order Lepidoptera known for their Batesian mimicry in both appearance and behaviour of ...

'' Bartel, 1912 ***''

Tinthia ''Tinthia'' is a genus of moths in the family Sesiidae. Species *'' Tinthia beijingana'' Yang, 1977:120 *'' Tinthia mianjangalica'' Laštuvka, 1997 *'' Tinthia cuprealis'' (Moore, 1877) *'' Tinthia ruficollaris'' (Pagenstecher, 1900) *'' Tinthia ...

'' Walker,

865 __NOTOC__ Year 865 ( DCCCLXV) was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * King Louis the German divides the East Frankish Kingdom among his three sons. Carloman receives Bavaria (with more l ...

/small> ***''

Sophona ''Sophona'' is a genus of moths in the family Sesiidae The Sesiidae or clearwing moths are a diurnality, diurnal moth family (biology), family in the order Lepidoptera known for their Batesian mimicry in both appearance and behaviour of vari ...

'' Walker, 1856 ***'' Zenodoxus'' Grote & Robinson, 1868 ***'' Conopsia'' Strand,

913 __NOTOC__ Year 913 ( CMXIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * June 6 – Emperor Alexander III dies of exhaustion while playing the game '' tzykanion'' (Byzantine n ...

/small> ***'' Paranthrenopsis'' Le Cerf, 1911 ***''

Entrichella ''Entrichella'' is a genus of moths in the family Sesiidae. Species *''Entrichella constricta'' (Butler, 1878) *''Entrichella esakii'' (Yano, 1960) *''Entrichella pogonias'' Bryk, 1947 *''Entrichella yakushimaensis'' (Arita, 1993) *''Entrichella ...

'' Bryk, 1947 ***'' Negotinthia'' Gorbunov, 2001 ***'' Trichocerota'' Hampson,

893 __FORCETOC__ Year 893 ( DCCCXCIII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Vladimir, ruler ('' khan'') of the Bulgarian Empire, is dethroned by his father Boris I, with help from loyal ...

/small> ***'' Paradoxecia'' Hampson, 1919 ***'' Rectala'' Bryk, 1947 ***'' Ceratocorema'' Hampson,

/small> ***'' Caudicornia'' Bryk, 1947 ***'' Bidentotinthia'' Arita & Gorbunov, 2003 ***'' Tarsotinthia'' Arita & Gorbunov, 2003 ***'' Tyrictaca'' Walker, 1862 **Tribe Pennisetiini Naumann, 1971 ***'' Pennisetia'' Dehne, 1850 ***'' Corematosetia'' Kallies & Arita, 2001 **Tribe Paraglosseciini Gorbunov & Eitschberger 1990 ***'' Oligophlebia'' Hampson,

/small> ***'' Isothamnis''

Meyrick Meyrick is a surname and a masculine given name. Meyricke is a variant form. Surname * Denzil Meyrick (1965–2025), Scottish novelist * Edmund Meyrick (1636–1713), Welsh cleric * Edward Meyrick (1854–1938), English schoolmaster and amateu ...

, 1935 ***'' Cyanophlebia'' Arita & Gorbunov, 2001 ***'' Lophocnema'' Turner, 1917 ***'' Diapyra'' Turner, 1917 ***'' Micrecia'' Hampson, 1919 **Tribe Similipepsini Špatenka, Laštuvka, Gorbunov, Toševski & Arita, 1993 ***'' Similipepsis'' Le Cerf, 1911 ***'' Gasterostena'' Arita & Gorbunov, 2003 *Subfamily

Sesiinae The Sesiinae are a subfamily of clearwing moths, identified by Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1828.Boisduval, 1828; Eur. Lepid. Index Meth. 1: 29 References * * Sesiinaeat Fauna Europaea Fauna Europaea is a database of the scientific names and ...

Boisduval, 1828 **Tribe Sesiini Boisduval, 1828 ***''

Sesia The Sesia (Latin ''Sesites'' or ''Sessites'') is a river in Piedmont, north-western Italy, tributary to the Po. Geography Its sources are the glaciers of Monte Rosa at the border with Switzerland. It flows through the Alpine valley Valsesia an ...

Fabricius Fabricius (, ) is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *people from the Ancient Roman Fabricia gens, gens Fabricia: **Gaius Fabricius Luscinus, the first of the Fabricii to move to Rome * Johann Goldsmid (1587–1616), known by his ...

, 1775 ***'' Trilochana'' Moore, 1879 ***'' Cyanosesia'' Gorbunov & Arita, 1995 ***''

Sphecosesia ''Sphecosesia'' is a genus of moths in the family Sesiidae The Sesiidae or clearwing moths are a diurnality, diurnal moth family (biology), family in the order Lepidoptera known for their Batesian mimicry in both appearance and behaviour of ...

'' Hampson, 1910 ***'' Teinotarsina'' Felder, 1874 ***'' Lenyra'' Walker, 1856 ***'' Aegerosphecia'' Le Cerf, 1916 ***'' Lamellisphecia'' Kallies & Arita, 2004 ***'' Clavigera'' Kallies & Arita, 2004 ***'' Eusphecia'' Le Cerf, 1937 ***'' Scasiba'' Matsumura, 1931 ***'' Callisphecia'' Le Cerf, 1916 ***'' Madasphecia'' Viette, 1982 ***'' Melittosesia'' Bartsch, 2009 ***'' Barbasphecia'' Pühringer & Sáfián 2011 ***'' Afrokona'' Fischer, 2006 ***'' Hovaesia'' Le Cerf, 1957 ***'' Lenyrhova'' Le Cerf, 1957 **Tribe Cissuvorini Duckworth & Eichlin 1977 ***''

Toleria ''Toleria'' is a genus of moths in the family Sesiidae. Species * ''Toleria abiaeformis'' Walker, 865/small> * '' Toleria aegerides'' (Strand, 916 * '' Toleria aritai'' Ogane & Kallies, 2020 * '' Toleria colochelyna'' (Bryk, 1947) * '' Toleria ...

'' Walker,

/small> ***'' Chimaerosphecia'' Strand,

916 __NOTOC__ Year 916 ( CMXVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Sicilian Berbers in Agrigento revolt and depose the independent Emir Ahmed ibn Khorob. They offer Sicily to the Fatimid C ...

/small> ***'' Glossosphecia'' Hampson, 1919 ***'' Cissuvora'' Engelhardt, 1946 ***'' Dasysphecia'' Hampson, 1919 **Tribe Osminiini Duckworth & Eichlin 1977 ***'' Osminia'' Le Cerf, 1917 ***'' Chamanthedon'' Le Cerf, 1916 ***'' Microsynanthedon'' Viette,

955 Year 955 ( CMLV) was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * August 10 – Battle of Lechfeld: King Otto I ("the Great") defeats the Hungarians (also known as Magyars) near Augsburg (Germa ...

/small> ***'' Calasesia'' Beutenmüller, 1899 ***'' Aenigmina'' Le Cerf, 1912 ***'' Cabomina'' de Freina, 2008 ***'' Pyranthrene'' Hampson, 1919 ***'' Homogyna'' Le Cerf, 1911 ***'' Aschistophleps'' Hampson

/small> ***'' Pyrophleps'' Arita & Gorbunov, 2000 ***'' Heterosphecia'' Le Cerf, 1916 ***'' Melanosphecia'' Le Cerf, 1916 ***'' Akaisphecia'' Gorbunov & Arita, 1995 ***'' Callithia'' Le Cerf, 1916 **Tribe Melittiini Le Cerf, 1917 ***''

'' Hübner,

819 __NOTOC__ Year 819 ( DCCCXIX) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Spring – Emperor Louis I marries Judith of Bavaria in Aachen.Rogers, Barbara, Bernhard W. Scholz, and Nithard ...

/small> ***''

Desmopoda ''Desmopoda'' is a genus of moths in the family Sesiidae The Sesiidae or clearwing moths are a diurnality, diurnal moth family (biology), family in the order Lepidoptera known for their Batesian mimicry in both appearance and behaviour of var ...

'' Felder, 1874 ***'' Agriomelissa'' Meyrick, 1931 ***'' Afromelittia'' Gorbunov & Arita, 1997 ***'' Cephalomelittia'' Gorbunov & Arita, 1995 ***'' Macroscelesia'' Hampson, 1919 **Tribe Paranthrenini Niculescu, 1964 ***'' Nokona'' Matsumura 1931 ***'' Taikona'' Arita & Gorbunov, 2001 ***'' Scoliokona'' Kallies & Arita, 1998 ***'' Rubukona'' Fischer, 2007 ***'' Adixoa'' Hampson,

/small> ***'' Pramila'' Moore, 1879 ***'' Vitacea'' Engelhardt, 1946 ***'' Phlogothauma''

Butler A butler is a person who works in a house serving and is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments, with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantries, pantr ...

, 1882 ***'' Paranthrene'' Hübner,

/small> ***'' Pseudosesia'' Felder, 1861 ***'' Albuna'' Edwards, 1881 ***'' Euhagena'' Edwards, 1881 ***'' Sincara'' Walker, 1856 ***'' Tirista'' Walker,

/small> ***'' Thyranthrene'' Hampson, 1919 ***''

Sura A ''surah'' (; ; ) is an Arabic word meaning 'chapter' in the Quran. There are 114 ''suwar'' in the Quran, each divided into verses (). The ''suwar'' are of unequal length; the shortest ''surah'' ( al-Kawthar) has only three verses, while the ...

'' Walker, 1856 **Tribe Synanthedonini Niculescu, 1964 ***'' Synanthedon'' Hübner,

/small> ***''

Ravitria ''Ravitria'' is a genus of moths in the family Sesiidae The Sesiidae or clearwing moths are a diurnality, diurnal moth family (biology), family in the order Lepidoptera known for their Batesian mimicry in both appearance and behaviour of var ...

'' Gorbunov & Arita, 2000 ***'' Kantipuria'' Gorbunov & Arita, 1999 ***'' Kemneriella'' Bryk, 1947 ***'' Ichneumenoptera'' Hampson,

/small> ***'' Paranthrenella'' Strand,

/small> ***'' Anthedonella'' Gorbunov & Arita, 1999 ***'' Schimia'' Gorbunov & Arita, 1999 ***'' Uncothedon'' Gorbunov & Arita, 1999 ***'' Palmia'' Beutenmüller, 1896 ***''

Podosesia ''Podosesia'' is a genus of moths in the family Sesiidae The Sesiidae or clearwing moths are a diurnality, diurnal moth family (biology), family in the order Lepidoptera known for their Batesian mimicry in both appearance and behaviour of va ...

'' Möschler, 1879 ***'' Sannina'' Walker, 1856 ***'' Nyctaegeria'' Le Cerf, 1914 ***''

Carmenta In ancient Roman religion and myth, Carmenta (Greek) or Carmentis (Latin) was a goddess of childbirth and prophecy, associated with technological innovation, specifically, the invention or adaptation of the Latin alphabet as well as the protect ...

'' Edwards, 1881 ***'' Penstemonia'' Engelhardt, 1946 ***'' Camaegeria'' Strand, 1914 ***'' Malgassesia'' Le Cerf, 1922 ***'' Lophoceps'' Hampson, 1919 ***'' Tipulamima'' Holland, 1893 ***'' Rodolphia'' Le Cerf, 1911 ***'' Alcathoe'' Edwards, 1882 ***'' Pseudalcathoe'' Le Cerf, 1916 ***'' Macrotarsipus'' Hampson,

/small> ***'' Grypopalpia'' Hampson, 1919 ***'' Hymenoclea'' Engelhardt, 1946 ***'' Euryphrissa'' Butler, 1874 ***'' Leptaegeria'' Le Cerf, 1916 ***'' Aegerina'' Le Cerf, 1917 ***''

Stenosphecia ''Stenosphecia'' is a monotypic genus of moths in the family Sesiidae. Its sole species is ''Stenosphecia columbica''. Both the genus and species were described in 1917 by Ferdinand Le Cerf. It is found in the Neotropical realm The Neotropi ...

'' Le Cerf, 1917 ***''

Bembecia ''Bembecia'' is a genus of moths in the family Sesiidae. Species *''Bembecia abromeiti'' Kallies & Riefenstahl, 2000 *''Bembecia afghana'' Bartsch & Špatenka, 2010 *''Bembecia alaica'' (Püngeler, 1912) *''Bembecia albanensis'' (Rebel, 1918) ...

'' Hübner,

/small> ***''

Pyropteron ''Pyropteron'' is a genus of moths in the family Sesiidae, raised by the English entomogist, Edward Newman in1832. Species *Subgenus In biology, a subgenus ( subgenera) is a taxonomic rank directly below genus. In the International Code ...

'' Newman, 1832 ***'' Dipchasphecia'' Capuse, 1973 ***'' Chamaesphecia'' Spuler, 1910 ***'' Weismanniola'' Naumann, 1971 ***'' Ichneumonella'' Gorbunov & Arita, 2005 ***'' Crinipus'' Hampson, 1896 **Genera unassigned to tribe ***'' Alonina'' Walker, 1856 ***'' Anaudia'' Wallengren, 1863 ***'' Augangela'' Meyrick, 1932 ***'' Austrosetia'' Felder, 1874 ***'' Ceritrypetes'' Bradley, 1956 ***'' Conopyga'' Felder, 1861 ***'' Echidgnathia'' Hampson, 1919 ***'' Episannina'' Aurivillius, 1905 ***'' Erismatica'' Meyrick, 1933 ***'' Gymnosophistis'' Meyrick, 1934 ***'' Hymenosphecia'' Le Cerf, 1917 ***'' Isocylindra'' Meyrick, 1930 ***'' Lepidopoda'' Hampson, 1900 ***'' Leuthneria'' Dalla Torre, 1925 ***'' Megalosphecia'' Le Cerf, 1916 ***'' Melisophista'' Meyrick, 1927 ***'' Metasphecia'' Le Cerf, 1917 ***'' Mimocrypta'' Naumann, 1971 ***'' Monopetalotaxis'' Wallengren, 1859 ***'' Pedalonina'' Gaede, 1929 ***'' Proaegeria'' Le Cerf, 1916 ***'' Pseudomelittia'' Le Cerf, 1917 ***'' Tradescanticola'' Hampson, 1919 ***'' Uranothyris'' Meyrick, 1933 ***'' Vespanthedon'' Le Cerf, 1917 ***'' Xenoses'' Durrant, 1924 ***'' Zhuosesia'' Yang, 1977

References

*Edwards, E.D., Gentili, P., Horak, M., Kristensen, N.P. and Nielsen, E.S. (1999). The cossoid/sesioid assemblage. Ch. 11, pp. 183–185 in Kristensen, N.P. (Ed.). ''Lepidoptera, Moths and Butterflies''. Volume 1: Evolution, Systematics, and Biogeography. Handbuch der Zoologie. Eine Naturgeschichte der Stämme des Tierreiches / Handbook of Zoology. A Natural History of the phyla of the Animal Kingdom. Band / Volume IV Arthropoda: Insecta Teilband / Part 35: 491 pp. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, New York.

External links

Dr. Franz Pühringer: SesiidaeSesiidae of Serbia
in English

on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site
''Synanthedon scitula'', dogwood borer
on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site
Australian moths online
Gallery
Images of Sesiidae moths in New Zealand

Family description and nineteenth century plates. {{Authority control Moth families Taxa named by Jean Baptiste Boisduval