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Sesiidae
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Suborder:	Ditrysia
Superfamily:	Sesioidea
Family:	Sesiidae Boisduval, 1828
Type species
Sesia apiformis (Hornet Moth)
Subfamilies
Sesiinae Tinthiinae
Diversity
151 genera 1,370 species

The Sesiidae or clearwing moths are a family of the Lepidoptera in which the wings have hardly any of the normal lepidopteran scales, leaving them transparent. The bodies are generally striped with yellow, sometimes very brightly, and they have simple antennae. The general appearance is sufficiently similar to a wasp or hornet to make it likely that the moths gain a reduction in predation by Batesian mimicry. This enables them to be active in daylight. They are commonly collected using pheromone lures.Worldwide there are 151 genera, 1370 species , and 50 subspecies.Most of these occur in the tropics, but there are many species in the Holarctic region.

The larvae of the Sesiidae are typically wood-borers, 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).

Care should be taken not to confuse these moths with the Hemaris genus of the family Sphingidae. These are also known as clearwing moths in the U.S., but normally as Bee Hawk-Moths in Britain. These have generally fatter furrier bodies than sesiid clearwings, looking similar to bumble bees, and lack the striped colouration.

Bembecia chrysidiformis

Synathedon spp

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.

External links

• Dr. Franz Pühringer: Sesiidae
• Sesiidae of Serbia in English
• Synanthedon exitiosa, peachtree borer on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site
• Synanthedon scitula, dogwood borer on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site
• Australian moths online Gallery
• Deltakey Family description and nineteenth century plates.

From Wikispecies

Sesia apiformis, a species of familia Sesiidae

Taxonavigation

Main Page
Cladus: Eukaryota
Supergroup: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Ecdysozoa
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Classis: Insecta
Cladus: Dicondylia
Cladus: Pterygota
Cladus: Metapterygota
Cladus: Neoptera
Cladus: Eumetabola
Cladus: Endopterygota
Superordo: Panorpida
Cladus: Amphiesmenoptera
Ordo: Lepidoptera
Subordo: Glossata
Infraordo: Heteroneura
Divisio: Ditrysia
Section: Tineina
Subsection: Sesiina
Superfamilia: Sesioidea
Familia: Sesiidae
Subfamiliae: Sesiinae - Tinthiinae - Incertae Sedis

References

• Duckworth, W.D. & T.D. Eichlin, 1973: The type material of North American Clearwing moths (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 148: 1-34. Full article: [1]
• Duckworth, W.D.; Eichlin, T.D. 1974: Clearwing moths of Australia and New Zealand (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae). Smithsonian contributions to zoology, 180: 1-45. Full article: [2]
• Duckworth, W.D. & T.D. Eichlin, 1978: The type material of Central and South American clearwing moths (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 261: 1-28. Full article: [3]
• Duckworth, W.D. & T.D. Eichlin, 1983: Revision of the clearwing moth genus Osminia (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 361: 1-15. Full article: [4].
• Špatenka, K., 1997: Neue glassflügler (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae) aus dem Pamir und dem Hindukusch. Bonner Zoologische Beiträge 47 (1/2): 31-41. Full article: [5].
• Špatenka, K., 1997: glassflügler arten und unterarten aus Europa und der Türkei (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae). Bonner Zoologische Beiträge 47 (1/2): 43-57. Full article: [6]
• Pitkin, B. & P. Jenkins. Butterflies and Moths of the World: Generic Names and their Type-species. Natural History Museum.[7]
• Checklist of the Sesiidae of the world [8]

Vernacular names

For more multimedia, look at Sesiidae on Wikimedia Commons.