Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Synanthedon culiciformis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Sphinx culiciformis Linnaeus, 1758
Sesia culiciformis
Aegeria culiciformis
* phylogentic sequence #080150
Explanation of Names
Specific epithet
culiciformis is Latin meaning "resembles a gnat (
Culex)."
(1)Identification
Larva - body light colored with dark brown head and light brown thoracic shield.
(3)Range
Holarctic. In North America from Alaska south to Utah, and California.
(2)Season
Most records of adults from May to July.
(2)Food
Larvae are initially bark borers, later attacking the wood, of various Betulaceae; birches (
Betula) in Europe, alders (
Alnus) in North America. Adults visit flowers.
(2),
(3)Life Cycle
See Solomon in Print References.
Remarks
Adults attracted to (Z,Z)-3,13-ODDA and (Z,Z)-3,13-ODDA/(E,Z)-3,13-ODDA/(Z,Z)-3,13-ODDOH blended pheromone lures (Meyer & Cranshaw, 1994).
Print References
Beutenmüller, W. 1901. Monograph of the Sesiidae of America, north of Mexico. Memoirs of the American Museum of Natural History 1(6):
294 (4)
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: 1-80, f.1-40, pl.1-8 (
PDF)
(2)
Engelhardt, G.P. 1946. The North American Clear-wing Moths of the family Aegeriidae. United States National Museum Bulletin 190:
112 (5)
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: 97-98 (
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(3)