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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 » Synanthedon » Synanthedon richardsi - Hodges#2548 (Synanthedon richardsi)
Photo#1635958
Synanthedon Species - Synanthedon richardsi
Copyright © 2019 Hilda W Flamholtz

Synanthedon Species - Synanthedon richardsi
Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina, USA
May 29, 2017
Photo is not great - but I think this might be Synanthedon richardsi and there are not a lot of photos of that. Moth is on viburnum. When I moved in for a better photo, it flew.

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Synanthedon Species - Synanthedon richardsi Synanthedon Species - Synanthedon richardsi
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Contributed by Hilda W Flamholtz on 15 February, 2019 - 8:34pm
Last updated 16 February, 2019 - 7:54am

Moved
Moved from Clearwing Moths.
… Ken Wolgemuth, 16 February, 2019 - 7:54am login or register to post comments

Moth ID
You are correct. I would like a description of the habitat and a better location description.Was there any Carolina cherry laurel plants in the area?
… William H. Taft, 16 February, 2019 - 6:12am login or register to post comments

 
Carolina cherry laurel
I sometimes get Cherry laurel volunteers in my yard (where this was) but I don't actually have one. If they will bring this beautiful moth, clearly I should.

I have let a black cherry tree grow near where the moth was.

Is Carolina cherry laurel their host plant? Thanks.
… Hilda W Flamholtz, 16 February, 2019 - 6:28am login or register to post comments

 
note
No one knows the food plant but the antidotal information that I have been collecting suggests strongly that it might be. This is a rarely collected moth for almost all insect museums in North America so if you see any more please catch and freeze. I am trying to get one the DNA. analysis.
… William H. Taft, 16 February, 2019 - 8:19am login or register to post comments

 
Synanthedon richardsi
OK - will do. I have one other photo of the same moth which seems to show an ovipositor. The moth was on Viburnum obovatum. I have a lot of these shrubs and they serve as host plant for Hemaris thysbe every year. I will watch carefully the shrubs carefully around the same time period for this little guy. Oh and I could collect with a light and sheet close to the same date. Thank you for confirming ID.
… Hilda W Flamholtz, 16 February, 2019 - 2:29pm login or register to post comments

 
reply
These moths like blooms and are mostly collected at flowering plants. This moth is a female and appears to be calling males with her pheromone. That is why the ovipositor is out. It appears very fresh so it probably flew in from nearby.
… William H. Taft, 17 February, 2019 - 9:00am login or register to post comments

Moved for expert attention
Moved from ID Request.
… Ken Wolgemuth, 15 February, 2019 - 10:13pm login or register to post comments

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