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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Carpenter and Clearwing Moths (Cossoidea) » Clearwing Moths (Sesiidae) » Tinthiinae » Paranthrenini » Albuna » Fireweed Clearwing Moth - Hodges#2533 (Albuna pyramidalis)

Species Albuna pyramidalis - Fireweed Clearwing Moth - Hodges#2533

Fireweed Clearwing Moth - Albuna pyramidalis - female

Fireweed Clearwing Moth - Albuna pyramidalis

Unknown Clearwing Moth - Albuna pyramidalis

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 Tinthiinae

Tribe Paranthrenini

Genus Albuna

Species pyramidalis (Fireweed Clearwing Moth - Hodges#2533)

Hodges Number

2533

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Albuna pyramidalis (Walker, 1856)

Aegeriu pyramidalis Walker, 1856

Albuna montana Hy. Edwards, 1881 (188)

Albuna vancouverensis Hy. Edwards, 1881 (188)

Albuna coloradensis Hy. Edwards, 1881 (189)

Albuna torva Hy. Edwards, 1881 (189)

Albuna beutenmuelleri Skinner, 1903

* phylogenetic sequence #079325

Size

Forewing length 8-14 mm. (1)

Identification

Adult - several color forms from orange-red to black but all have a diagnostic wide discal band. (1), (2)

Range

Canada, Alaska, northeastern United States, northern Michigan and Wisconsin, Rocky Mountains and Pacific Mountain ranges. (1)

Food

Larvae bore in the main roots of fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium, Onagraceae), dwarf fireweed (C. latifolium) and common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis, Onagraceae), sometimes up to 60 cm below the soil surface. (1)

Life Cycle

Larvae overwinter in silk cocoons just below the soil surface. (1)

Remarks

The adults are attracted to flowers. Fast-flying males hover over the blossoms, while the heavier, sluggish females rest on the foliage or flowers. (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): 273 (3)

Duckworth, W.D & T.D. Eichlin 1978. The Clearwing Moths of California (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae). California Department Of Food and Agriculture Occasional Papers in Entomology 27: 17-18 (PDF) (1)

Engelhardt, G.P. 1946. The North American Clear-wing Moths of the family Aegeriidae. USNM Bulletin 190: 162-164 (4)

Powell, J.A. & P.A. Opler 2009. Moths of Western North America. University of California Press. pl.12.46f, p.124 (2)

Internet References

Moth Photographers Group

Works Cited

1.	The Clearwing Moths of California (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae). W. Donald Duckworth & Thomas D. Eichlin. 1978. California Department Of Food and Agriculture Occasional Papers in Entomology 27: 1-80, f.1-40, pl.1-8.

2.	Moths of Western North America Powell and Opler. 2009. UC Press.

3.	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.

4.	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 john and jane balaban on 7 December, 2007 - 6:40pm
Additional contributions by Tom Bentley, Randy Hardy
Last updated 20 June, 2013 - 12:53pm

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