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Species Synanthedon acerni - Maple Callus Borer - Hodges#2554

Unusual-looking Insect on Daisy - Synanthedon acerni Maple Callus Borer - Hodges#2554 - Synanthedon acerni Interesting insect - Synanthedon acerni Synanthedon acerni red tail fly - Synanthedon acerni Synanthedon acerni? - Synanthedon acerni Wasp mimic moth  - Synanthedon acerni Synanthedon acerni
Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Cossoidea (Carpenter and Clearwing Moths)
Family Sesiidae (Clearwing Moths)
Subfamily Sesiinae
Tribe Synanthedonini
Genus Synanthedon
Species acerni (Maple Callus Borer - Hodges#2554)
Hodges Number
2554
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Synanthedon acerni (Clemens, 1860)
Trochilium acerni Clemens, 1860
Sylvora acerni
Sesia acerni
Aegeria acerni
* phylogenetic sequence #079975
Explanation of Names
acerni is Latin for "of maple wood" ("of maple" would be aceris), referring to the larval host (Genus Acer).
Numbers
Common. (1)
Size
Wingspan: ♂ 18-22 mm, ♀ 22-27 mm. (2)
Forewing length 7-13 mm. (3)
Larva to 12-19 mm. (2)
Identification
Adult -forewing edged in near-black, with black patch about two-thirds length of wing; subterminal area yellow; wings and antennae may have bluish or purplish sheen, depending on lighting; end of abdomen has bright reddish-orange tuft of hairs [adapted from description by Lynn Scott].
Larva - body white with dark brown head and light brown thoracic shield. (2)
Range
Throughout the eastern US and Canada, westward to Nebraska. (1),(4)
Habitat
Larvae bore in maple trees causing a callus that expands as it is reinfested each year. (3)
Season
Flies April to August. (1)
Food
Maples, particularly Silver, Red, and Sugar Maple. (2)
Life Cycle
Eggs are deposited in roughened places on the trunk, preferably near wounds. The larvae bore thru the bark and into the sapwood. Slightly wounded trees are often severely damaged.(5)
Overwinter as larva; pupation occurs in the spring.(5)
One generation per year.(5)
Remarks
The eastern Clearwing most commonly attracted to lights. (1)
Print References
Baker, W.L. 1972. Eastern Forest Insects. USDA Miscellaneous Publication 1175: 399 (5)
Beutenmüller, W. 1901. Monograph of the Sesiidae of America, north of Mexico. Memoirs of the American Museum of Natural History 1(6): 294-296, pl.31, f.24 (6)
Brown, L.N. & R.F. Mizell, III 1993. The Clearwing Borers of Florida (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae). Tropical Lepidoptera 4(4): 1-21 (PDF) (3)
Clemens, B. 1860. Contributions to American Lepidopterology, No. 3. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 1860: 14-15
Covell Jr., C.V. 1984. A field guide to the moths of eastern North America. Houghton Mifflin Company. p.426, pl.61 #7 (1)
Engelhardt, G.P. 1946. The North American Clear-wing Moths of the family Aegeriidae. United States National Museum Bulletin 190: 78-79 (7)
Holland, W.J. 1915. The Moth Book. Doubleday, Page & Company. p.386, pl.46, Fig.28 (8)
Johnson, W.T & H.H. Lyon 1991. Insects That Feed on Trees and Shrubs. Cornell University Press. p.260 (9)
Solomon, J.D. 1995. Guide to insect borers in North American broadleaf trees and shrubs. USDA Forest Service Agriculture Handbook AH-706: 68-70, f.25 (download menu) (2)
Internet References
Photos and information by Lynn Scott, Ontario
Natural history and photos at ForestPests.org
Photo by Larry Line, Maryland
Photos at Cedar Creek, Minnesota
Works Cited
1.Peterson Field Guides: Eastern Moths
Charles V. Covell. 1984. Houghton Mifflin Company.
2.Guide to insect borers in North American broadleaf trees and shrubs
Solomon, J.D. 1995. USDA Forest Service Agriculture Handbook. 735 pp.
3.The Clearwing Borers of Florida (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae).
Larry N. Brown & Russel F. Mizell, III. 1993. Tropical Lepidoptera 4(4): 1-21.
4.The Moth Book
W.J. Holland. 1968. Dover.
5.Eastern Forest Insects
Whiteford L. Baker. 1972. U.S. Department of Agriculture · Forest Service.
6.Monograph of the Sesiidae of America, north of Mexico.
William Beutenmüller. 1901. Memoirs of the American Museum of Natural History 1(6): 218-352, pl.29-36.
7.The North American Clear-wing Moths of the family Aegeriidae.
George P. Engelhardt. 1946. United States National Museum Bulletin 190: 1-222, pl.1-32.
8.The Moth Book
W. J. Holland. 1922. Doubleday, Page & Company.
9.Insects That Feed on Trees and Shrubs
Warren T. Johnson, Howard H. Lyon. 1991. Cornell University Press.