Species Vitacea scepsiformis - Lesser Grape Root Borer - Hodges#2531

2531

Vitacea scepsiformis (Hy. Edwards, 1881)

Sciapteran scepsiformis Hy. Edwards, 1881

Memythrus scepsiformis

Paranthrene scepsiformis

* phylogenetic sequence #079275

Forewing length 12-16 mm. (1)

Wingspan: ♂ 25-30 mm, ♀ 34 mm. (2)

Larva to 25-35 mm. (3)

Adult - hindwing, which is not visible, is key to positive identification. We will never really know since the HW fold(CuP)is really hidden. Both P.dollii and V. scepsiformis are closely related (same tribe) and are variable within their range. Female V.scepsiformis have a dark wide HW margin that when folded can look like P. dollii. See MONA Fascicle 5.1 Plate 1. figure 49.

Larva - white with brown head and light brown thoracic shield. (3)

New York to Florida, west to Texas, Arkansas and Missouri. (3)

Larvae feed under bark of grape roots. Known hosts are Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Vitaceae) and Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata, Vitaceae). (2), (1), (3)

Two year life cycle. (3)

Larva indistinguishable from Vitacea polistiformis (3)

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

Edwards, Hy. 1881. New Genera and new species of the family Aegeridae. Papilio 1(10): 183

Engelhardt, G.P. 1946. The North American Clear-wing Moths of the family Aegeriidae. United States National Museum Bulletin 190: 156-157 (2)

Solomon, J.D. 1995. Guide to insect borers in North American broadleaf trees and shrubs. USDA Forest Service Agriculture Handbook AH-706: 106-108, f.41 (Download Options) (3)