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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 » Synanthedonini » Ash/Lilac Borers (Podosesia) » Lilac Borer - Hodges#2589 (Podosesia syringae)

Species Podosesia syringae - Lilac Borer - Hodges#2589

Classification · Hodges Number · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Podosesia syringae– Ash Borer Hodges# 2589 - Podosesia syringae

Lilac borers - mating pair - Podosesia syringae - female

Unknown Lepidoptera - Wasp Mimic? - Podosesia syringae - male

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 Podosesia (Ash/Lilac Borers)

Species syringae (Lilac Borer - Hodges#2589)

Hodges Number

2589

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Podosesia syringae (Harris, 1839)

Aegeria syringae Harris, 1839

Trochilium syringae

Sesia syringae

Podesesia syringae

Sciapteron syringae

* phylogenetic sequence #080900

Explanation of Names

Named for the genus of one of its hosts, Syringae (lilac).

Numbers

One of only 2 species in this genus in North America.

Size

Forewing length 10-17 mm. (1)

Wingspan: ♂ 26-32 mm, ♀ 32-38 mm. (2)

Larva to 26-30 mm. (3)

Pupa 18-24 mm. (3)

Identification

Adult - a yellow color variation is found in the northern states and Canada (William H. Taft).

Genitalia:

Larva - body white with amber head, thoracic shield and spiracles. (3)

Range

Eastern two thirds of the United States and southern Canada. Disjunct populations in central California and the Pacific Northwest. (1)

Food

Larvae bore in the limbs and trunk of various Oleaceae, including ash (Fraxinus), lilac (Syringae), olive (Olea), privet (Ligustrum) and fringetree (Chionanthus). It can be a serious pest in commercial plant operations. (1)

Life Cycle

See Solomom in Print References. (3)

Overwinter as larvae(4)

One generation per year.(4)

Remarks

Adults respond to (Z,Z)-3,13-ODDA (and blends) pheromone lures (Meyer & Cranshaw, 1994). Appears to mimic wasps in the genus Polistes

See Also

Podosesia aureocincta, a closely related species flies in late July through September in the north. (1)

Print References

Beuttenmüller, W. 1901. Monograph of the Sesiidae of America, north of Mexico. Memoirs of the American Museum of Natural History 1(6): 244-245, pl.33, f.10 (5)

Brown, L.N. & R.F. Mizell, III 1993. The Clearwing Borers of Florida (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae). Tropical Lepidoptera 4(4): 1-21 (PDF) (1)

Engelhardt, G.P. 1946. The North American Clear-wing Moths of the family Aegeriidae. United States National Museum Bulletin 190: 108-109 (2)

Meyer, W.L. & W.S Cranshaw 1994. Capture of Clearwing Borers (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae) with three synthetic attractants in Colorado. Southwestern Entomologist 19(1): 71-76 (PDF)

Solomon, J.D. 1995. Guide to insect borers in North American broadleaf trees and shrubs. USDA Forest Service Agriculture Handbook AH-706: 30-33, f.11 (download menu) (3)

Internet References

Moth Photographers Group

Colorado State U.

IPM

Agriculture and Agrifood Canada

Works Cited

1.	The Clearwing Borers of Florida (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae). Larry N. Brown & Russel F. Mizell, III. 1993. Tropical Lepidoptera 4(4): 1-21.

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.	Guide to insect borers in North American broadleaf trees and shrubs Solomon, J.D. 1995. USDA Forest Service Agriculture Handbook. 735 pp.

4.	Eastern Forest Insects Whiteford L. Baker. 1972. U.S. Department of Agriculture · Forest Service.

5.	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.

Contributed by A.W. Thomas on 1 April, 2005 - 6:55am
Additional contributions by john and jane balaban, Beatriz Moisset, Graham M, Randy Hardy, Marci Hess, Robert H. Biagi
Last updated 30 October, 2023 - 4:55pm

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