Genus Melittia

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Identification · Life Cycle · Remarks · Works Cited

Black and Red Moth - Melittia cucurbitae

Melittia cucurbitae? - Melittia cucurbitae

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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 Melittiini

Genus Melittia

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Melittia Hübner, 1819

Explanation of Names

From Latin, mellitus, sweetened with honey? (Based on Internet searches.)

Numbers

There are six species of Melittia in America north of Mexico (June 2013). (1)

Identification

Melittia includes some of the largest and most spectacular clearwings in North America. Characterized by scales below the antenna that extend over the eye and very large tufts of scales on the hind tibia and tarsus. (2) (original citation 239031,124 in error--see remarks)

Life Cycle

All species bore in squash vines. (2) (original citation 239031,124 in error--see remarks)

Remarks

Two citations above have been removed because they are in error:

cite:239031,124

This refers to an unrelated bugguide image.

I inserted a citation that gives most of the information indicated by the erroneous one (2), but this does not mention "scales below the antenna that extend over the eye".

Editors--please insert correct citation if you know it (Cotinis/PC 7/14/19).

Works Cited

1.	North American Moth Photographers Group

2.	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.

Contributed by Cotinis on 22 February, 2005 - 8:44pm
Additional contributions by Randy Hardy
Last updated 14 July, 2019 - 11:49am

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