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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 » Sesiini » Sesia » European Hornet Moth - Hodges#2542 (Sesia apiformis)

Species Sesia apiformis - European Hornet Moth - Hodges#2542

Classification · Hodges Number · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Hornet Clearwing Moth - Sesia apiformis Sesiidae Moth - Sesia apiformis Sesiidae Moth - Sesia apiformis moth 1 - Sesia apiformis moth 1 - Sesia apiformis moth 1 - Sesia apiformis Hornet Moth - Sesia apiformis Hornet Moth - Sesia apiformis
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 Sesiini
Genus Sesia
Species apiformis (European Hornet Moth - Hodges#2542)
Hodges Number
2542
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Sesia apiformis (Clerck, 1759)
Sphinx apiformis Clerck, 1759
Sphecia apiformis
Trochilium apiformis
Trochilia apiformis
Setia apiformis
Aegeria apiformis
* phylogenetic sequence #079600
Explanation of Names
Specific epithet apiformis means "resembles a bee (Apis)." (1)
Size
Wingspan: ♂ 34-43 mm, ♀ 40-44 mm. (2)
Full-grown larvae are 30-50mm(3)
Identification
Adult - resembles the European hornet.
Larva - yellowish white with a red-brown head.
Range
Introduced from Europe into new England before 1880. Records in North America from New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Newfoundland, Canada (Morris, 1986; Engelhardt, 1946). (2)
Food
Larvae bore into the bark, roots and lower trunk of poplar trees (Morris, 1986; Engelhardt, 1946). (2)
Life Cycle
One generation in Europe. Overwinters as larva. Sometimes it takes two years to complete a life cycle. See Engelhardt in Print References.
Larvae excavate extensive tunnels, causing swellings to occur.(3)
First year larvae overwinter in wood; 2nd year larvae overwinter in a cocoon in wood borings or roots.(3)
Remarks
Because of its resemblance to the giant hornet, it is known as the hornet moth.(3)
Print References
Beuttenmüller, W. 1901. Monograph of the Sesiidae of America, north of Mexico. Memoirs of the American Museum of Natural History 1(6): 256-358, pl.29, f.13 (4)
Engelhardt, G.P. 1946. The North American Clear-wing Moths of the family Aegeriidae. USNM Bulletin 190: 173-174 (2)
Morris, R.F. 1986. Notes on the Occurrence of the Hornet Moth, Sesia apiformis (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae), New to Canada. The Canadian Field-Naturalist 100(2): 253-254, f.1
Internet References
Moth Photographers Group
http://www.vespa-crabro.de/hornet_moth.htm
Wikipedia
UK Moths
Works Cited
1.An accentuated list of the British Lepidoptera, with hints on the derivation of the names.
Anonymous. 1858. The Entomological Societies of Oxford and Cambridge.
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.Eastern Forest Insects
Whiteford L. Baker. 1972. U.S. Department of Agriculture · Forest Service.
4.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 May, 2005 - 6:36am
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, anitagould, Randy Hardy, Marci Hess
Last updated 3 September, 2023 - 1:45pm

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