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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Carpenter and Clearwing Moths (Cossoidea) » Clearwing Moths (Sesiidae) » Sesiinae » Melittiini » Melittia » Squash Vine Borer - Hodges#2536 (Melittia cucurbitae)

Species Melittia cucurbitae - Squash Vine Borer - Hodges#2536

Classification · Hodges Number · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Season · Food · Life Cycle · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Plant Bug? Orange and black with raggedy wings. - Melittia cucurbitae Clearwing moth -- squash borer? - Melittia cucurbitae Which insect? - Melittia cucurbitae idk - Melittia cucurbitae Squash Vine Borer? - Melittia cucurbitae squash vine borer moth - Melittia cucurbitae Unknown True Bug? - Melittia cucurbitae Big Orange Bug - Melittia cucurbitae
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 Melittiini
Genus Melittia
Species cucurbitae (Squash Vine Borer - Hodges#2536)
Hodges Number
2536
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Melittia cucurbitae (Harris, 1828)
Aegeria cucurbitae Harris, 1828
Melittia cucurbitae
Trochilium cucurbitae
Melittia satyriniformis
* phylogenetic sequence #079450
Explanation of Names
cucurbit Latin for gourd. (1)
Numbers
Six Melittia species occur in America north of Mexico.
Size
Winspan 28-32 mm. (2)
Identification
Day-flying wasp mimic. Abdomen bright orange.
Eggs are flat, reddish brown, and about 1mm long. They are laid singly on the lower part of either the main stalk or the base of stems, or on leaves or fruit buds. Some eggs may be laid in cracks in soil near the base of the plant.

Melittia cucurbitae has a dark olive green second abdominal segment.
Distinguished from Melittia calabaza which has some orange on the second abdominal segment.
Range
e US to Great Plains - Map (MPG)
Season
mostly: Jun-Aug (BG data)
Food
Larvae feed (stem borer) on squash, gourds, pumpkins, i.e. Cucurbitaceae. (2)
Adults take nectar.
Life Cycle
1: egg. 2 and 3: larvae. 4: mating pair. 5: egg-laying female
See Also
Melittia calabaza, the second abdominal segment has is orange.

. . . . . . . . . . . .
Melittia grandis

. . . . . . . . . . . .
Melittia gloriosa
Print References
Covell Jr., C.V. 1984. A field guide to the moths of Eastern North America. p.426, plate 61 #9 (3)
Engelhardt, G.P. 1946. The North American Clear-wing Moths of the family Aegeriidae. United States National Museum Bulletin 190: 182-184 (2)
Internet References
Moth Photographers Group
U. of Connecticut
Penn State U.
University of Illinois - PDF
U. of Minnesota
BOLD - Barcode of Life Data Systems - BOLD
Featured Creatures - U of Florida
Works Cited
1.Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms
Donald J. Borror. 1960. Mayfield Publishing Company.
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.
3.Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America
Charles V. Covell, Jr. 2005.
Contributed by Cotinis on 22 February, 2005 - 8:50pm
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, Robin McLeod, anitagould, Mike Quinn, Maury Heiman, ceiseman, marcie oconnor, Randy Hardy, Kyhl Austin
Last updated 3 March, 2020 - 1:44pm

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