Sesiidae

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Family of moths

title: "Sesiidae" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["sesiidae", "moth-families", "taxa-named-by-jean-baptiste-boisduval"] description: "Family of moths" topic_path: "general/sesiidae" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sesiidae" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Family of moths ::

| image = Synanthedon tipuliformis.jpg | image_caption = Synanthedon tipuliformis | taxon = Sesiidae | authority = Boisduval, 1828 | type_species = Sphinx apiformis | type_species_authority = Clerck, 1759 | diversity = 165 genera 1,525 species | subdivision_ranks = Subfamilies | subdivision = Sesiinae

Tinthiinae | synonyms = *Aegeriidae Stephens, 1828

  • Trochiliidae Westwood, 1843 ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/Synanthedon_tipuliformis_larva.jpg" caption="''Synanthedon tipuliformis'', larva"] ::

The Sesiidae or clearwing moths are a diurnal moth family in the order Lepidoptera known for their Batesian mimicry in both appearance and behaviour of various Hymenoptera.

The family consists of 165 genera spread over two subfamilies, containing in total 1525 species and 49 subspecies, most of which occur in the tropics, though there are many species in the Holarctic region as well, including over a hundred species known to occur in Europe.

Morphology

Sesiidae are characterized by their hymenopteriform Batesian mimicry, frequently of identifiable species. Most species of Sesiidae have wings with areas where scales are nearly completely absent, resulting in partial, marked transparency. Forewings are commonly elongated and narrow in the basal half. In many species, the abdomen is elongated, with an anal tuft, and striped or ringed yellow, red or white, sometimes very brightly so. Legs are long, thin and frequently coloured, and in some species the hind-legs are elongated. In European species, the wing span ranges from 8 to 48 mm.

Larvae lack pigment. Segments of the thorax are somewhat enlarged.

Behaviour

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Eichlinia_cucurbitae-hovering_nectaring.jpg" caption="''[[Melittia cucurbitae]]'' hovering for nectar"] ::

The larvae of the Sesiidae typically bore in wood or burrow in plant roots. Many species are serious pests of fruit-tree or timber cultivation, or crop plants (e.g. Melittia spp. on squash) (Edwards et al., 1999). Larval development lasts 1–4 years, pupal stage 10–20 days.

Adults are diurnally active. Specimens are commonly collected using pheromone lures.

Movements, including hovering flight, mimic those of Hymenoptera spp.

Taxonomy

References

  • Edwards, E.D., Gentili, P., Horak, M., Kristensen, N.P. and Nielsen, E.S. (1999). The cossoid/sesioid assemblage. Ch. 11, pp. 183–185 in Kristensen, N.P. (Ed.). Lepidoptera, Moths and Butterflies. Volume 1: Evolution, Systematics, and Biogeography. Handbuch der Zoologie. Eine Naturgeschichte der Stämme des Tierreiches / Handbook of Zoology. A Natural History of the phyla of the Animal Kingdom. Band / Volume IV Arthropoda: Insecta Teilband / Part 35: 491 pp. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, New York.

References

  1. Pühringer, Franz. (10 October 2021). "Checklist of the Sesiidae of the world (Lepidoptera: Ditrysia)".
  2. (2001). "The Sesiidae of Europe". Apollo Books.
  3. (7 March 2016). "A remarkable new species of the genus ''Teinotarsina'' (Lepidoptera, Sesiidae) from Okinawa-jima, Japan". ZooKeys.
  4. (2 October 2014). "Encyclopedia of Entomology". Springer, Dordrecht.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

sesiidaemoth-familiestaxa-named-by-jean-baptiste-boisduval