Sesiidae
Guides
Alcathoe
Alcathoe is a genus of clearwing moths in the family Sesiidae, restricted to the New World tropics and extending north into the southern United States. These moths are notable for their striking wasp mimicry, with five species currently recognized north of Mexico. Males possess distinctive morphological features including highly bipectinate antennae and often a single tail-like appendage from the abdomen tip that approximates the dangling legs of wasps. The genus is rarely encountered due to diurnal activity and general disinterest in light traps.
Alcathoe autumnalis
Alcathoe autumnalis is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, first described by Engelhardt in 1946. The species exhibits the characteristic wasp-mimicking appearance typical of sesiid moths, with reduced wing scaling that creates a transparent or 'clearwing' effect. It is known from the Nearctic region, with records from north-central United States. The species appears to be active in autumn, as suggested by its specific epithet.
Alcathoe carolinensis
Alcathoe carolinensis is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, first described from the Carolinas region of the southeastern United States. Like other members of its genus, it exhibits wasp mimicry with reduced wing scaling that creates transparent areas. The species is part of a small genus of New World tropical clearwing moths that extends into the southern United States. Males possess distinctive morphological features including specialized abdominal appendages.
Alcathoe caudata
Clematis Clearwing Moth
Alcathoe caudata is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, commonly known as the Clematis Clearwing Moth. The genus Alcathoe is restricted to the New World tropics and southern United States, with five species occurring north of Mexico. This species exhibits wasp mimicry, with transparent wings and a body form resembling spider wasps. Males possess a distinctive single tail-like appendage from the abdomen tip. The caterpillars are stem borers in Clematis plants.
Alcathoe pepsioides
Alcathoe pepsioides is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, known for its striking wasp mimicry. The species occurs in the southwestern United States and is one of five Alcathoe species found north of Mexico. Males possess a distinctive single tail-like abdominal appendage that approximates the dangling legs of spider wasps. The genus is otherwise restricted to the New World tropics.
Alcathoe verrugo
Alcathoe verrugo is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, native to the New World tropics and southern United States. Like other sesiids, it exhibits wasp mimicry, with transparent wings and a slender body that resembles hymenopterans in flight. The genus Alcathoe contains five species north of Mexico, all rarely encountered. Males possess a single tail-like abdominal appendage that approximates the dangling legs of wasps.
Calasesia
Calasesia is a genus of clearwing moths in the family Sesiidae, established by Beutenmüller in 1899. The genus contains a single described species, Calasesia coccinea, described in 1898. As a member of the tribe Osminiini, it belongs to a group of moths known for wasp-mimicking appearances and diurnal activity patterns. The genus remains poorly documented with limited biological information available.
Carmenta
clearwing moth
Carmenta is a genus of clearwing moths in the family Sesiidae, characterized by transparent or partially transparent wings resulting from reduced wing scaling. The genus contains approximately 100 described species distributed primarily in the Neotropics, with some species extending into North America. Members are diurnal and often wasp-mimicking in appearance. Several species are economically significant as pests of agricultural crops, including C. theobromae which has shifted from native cacao to become a major pest of guava in Colombia.
Carmenta albociliata
Carmenta albociliata is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, first described by Engelhardt in 1925. Like other members of its genus, it exhibits wasp-mimicry through transparent wings and a slender body. The species is documented from the southwestern United States, specifically Texas and Arizona.
Carmenta anthracipennis
liatris borer moth, Blazing Star Clearwing
A clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, described by Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1875. The species is notable for its larval association with Liatris species, where larvae bore through stems. It occurs in the eastern and central United States, with records extending into Canada.
Carmenta arizonae
Carmenta arizonae is a clearwing moth (family Sesiidae) described by William Beutenmüller in 1898. It is known only from Arizona, USA. As a member of the genus Carmenta, it belongs to a group of seed-feeding clearwing moths primarily distributed in the Americas. The species is documented by only 18 iNaturalist observations, indicating it is rarely encountered or poorly known.
Carmenta armasata
Carmenta armasata is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, first described by Herbert Druce in 1892. It is known from Texas in the southern United States. The species belongs to a genus of seed-feeding clearwing moths primarily distributed in the Americas. Like other sesiids, adults likely mimic wasps or hornets in appearance.
Carmenta auritincta
Arizona Clearwing Moth
Carmenta auritincta, the Arizona clearwing moth, is a sesiid moth described by Engelhardt in 1925. It belongs to a genus of clearwing moths that are known for their wasp-mimicking appearance and seed-feeding larval habits. The species has a restricted distribution in the southwestern United States and adjacent Mexico. Like other members of Sesiidae, adults are diurnal and often mistaken for hymenopterans.
Carmenta corni
aster borer moth
Carmenta corni, the aster borer moth, is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae. First described by Henry Edwards in 1881, it occurs in North America including Wisconsin. Adults are active from July to August. The species is known to have larvae that feed on roots of specific host plants.
Carmenta engelhardti
Carmenta engelhardti is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, described from Arizona in 1973. The species was collected on Brickellia foliage along small creeks in the Patagonia and Huachuca mountains. As a member of the genus Carmenta, it belongs to a group of seed-feeding clearwing moths primarily distributed in the Americas. The species has been documented in August.
Carmenta giliae
Carmenta giliae is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, described by Henry Edwards in 1881. It occurs in montane meadows of western North America, from Alberta and British Columbia south to Arizona and New Mexico. The species has a wingspan of approximately 25 mm. Larvae are root borers in wild Geranium species.
Carmenta ithacae
Ithaca Clearwing Moth
A clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, described by William Beutenmüller in 1897. The species occurs across much of North America and is active in mid-summer. Larvae feed on composite plants including Helenium and Aster species. Adults are diurnal and wasp-mimicking in appearance.
Carmenta laurelae
Carmenta laurelae is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, described in 1985 from specimens collected in Florida. The species has forewings measuring 9–10 mm in length. It belongs to a genus of seed-feeding clearwing moths primarily distributed in the Americas.
Carmenta mariona
Carmenta mariona is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, described by William Beutenmüller in 1900. The species occurs in the western and central United States, with adults active during summer months. Larvae are root-feeding specialists on plants in the family Boraginaceae.
Carmenta mimuli
coronopus borer
Carmenta mimuli, commonly known as the coronopus borer, is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae. The species exhibits two color morphs: a dark typical form found in Arizona, and a lighter whitish non-typical form distributed across the southwestern United States from Kansas to Arizona. Adults are active from late spring through late autumn. The larvae are known to feed on perennial Solanaceae plants.
Carmenta odda
Carmenta odda is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, described in 1977 from specimens collected in the southeastern United States. As a member of the genus Carmenta, it belongs to a group of seed-feeding moths whose larvae typically bore into plant tissues. The species is known from a restricted coastal range in the southeastern U.S.
Carmenta ogalala
Carmenta ogalala is a clearwing moth (family Sesiidae) described by Engelhardt in 1946. The species is known from Colorado in the western United States. Like other members of its genus, it likely exhibits wasp-mimicry through transparent wings and a slender body form. Very few documented observations exist, with only three records reported to iNaturalist.
Carmenta pallene
Carmenta pallene is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, described by Herbert Druce in 1889 from specimens collected in Tabasco, Mexico. The species is also known from Arizona in the United States. Like other members of its genus, it exhibits the characteristic wasp-mimicking appearance of sesiid moths, with reduced wing scaling that leaves much of the wing membrane transparent. The original description and limited subsequent records provide sparse information on its biology and ecology.
Carmenta querci
Carmenta querci is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, described by Henry Edwards in 1882. The species is known from the southwestern United States, specifically Colorado and Arizona. Larvae develop within galls on oaks, with documented associations to Quercus arizonica and Quercus oblongifolia. As a member of the Carmenta genus, it exhibits the transparent wings and wasp-mimicking appearance typical of sesiid moths.
Carmenta rubricincta
Carmenta rubricincta is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, described by William Beutenmüller in 1909. It is known from North America, with records from Arizona. As a member of the genus Carmenta, it belongs to a group of seed-feeding clearwing moths primarily distributed in the Americas.
Carmenta subaerea
Carmenta subaerea is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, described by Henry Edwards in 1883. The species is documented from Arizona, USA, and belongs to a genus of seed-feeding clearwing moths distributed primarily in the Americas. Like other sesiids, it likely exhibits wasp-mimicry through transparent wings and a slender body form.
Carmenta suffusata
Carmenta suffusata is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, described by George Paul Engelhardt in 1946. It is known from scattered records in the United States, specifically Florida, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Like other members of the genus Carmenta, it belongs to a group of seed-feeding clearwing moths. The species is poorly known, with only three observations recorded in iNaturalist as of the available data.
Carmenta tecta
mistletoe stem borer
Carmenta tecta is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, described by Henry Edwards in 1882. It is commonly known as the mistletoe stem borer due to its larval association with mistletoe plants. The species is documented from the southwestern United States, particularly Arizona. Its biology is closely tied to oak-mistletoe ecosystems.
Carmenta texana
Texana Clearwing Moth
Carmenta texana, the Texana clearwing moth, is a small sesiid moth described by Henry Edwards in 1881. It is known from Texas and Florida, with a wingspan of approximately 22 mm. The species belongs to a genus of clearwing moths that typically have reduced wing scaling and wasp-like appearance. It has been documented as a host for the ichneumonid parasitoid wasp Calliephialtes grapholithae.
Carmenta tildeni
Carmenta tildeni is a small clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, described by Thomas D. Eichlin in 1995. It is native to the southwestern United States (Arizona and southern Texas) and Mexico. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism in size, with females notably smaller than males. As a member of the clearwing moth genus Carmenta, it likely possesses reduced wing scaling that creates a wasp-like appearance, though specific behavioral and ecological details remain poorly documented.
Carmenta verecunda
Carmenta verecunda is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, described by Henry Edwards in 1881. It occurs in the western United States, with records from Colorado, Utah, California, and Arizona. The species is a specialist herbivore whose larvae feed on Lithospermum ruderale, a plant in the borage family. Like other clearwing moths, it exhibits wasp-mimicry in its adult form.
Carmenta welchelorum
Carmenta welchelorum is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, described in 1977 from south-central Texas. As a member of the genus Carmenta, it belongs to a group of seed-feeding clearwing moths primarily distributed in the Americas. The species is poorly documented in scientific literature, with limited information available beyond its original description and type locality.
Carmenta wellerae
Carmenta wellerae is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, described in 1976 from specimens collected in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It belongs to a genus of seed-feeding moths characterized by wasp-mimicking appearance and diurnal activity. The species is associated with mountainous terrain and has a restricted known distribution.
Carmenta wielgusi
A clearwing moth species described by Eichlin in 1987. Like other members of the genus Carmenta, it belongs to the family Sesiidae, a group of moths characterized by wasp-mimicking appearance and diurnal activity. The species is known from the Nearctic region. Specific details regarding its biology, host plants, and distribution remain poorly documented in available literature.
Chamaesphecia
Chamaesphecia is a genus of clearwing moths (Sesiidae) established by Spuler in 1910, containing over 80 species distributed primarily across the Palearctic region. Species are characterized by their wasp-mimicking appearance and specialized larval associations with host plants, particularly in the families Euphorbiaceae and Lamiaceae. Several species have been investigated for biological control of invasive weeds, including leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) and horehound (Marrubium vulgare). The genus is divided into two subgenera: Chamaesphecia and Scopulosphecia.
Cissuvora
Cissuvora is a genus of clearwing moths in the family Sesiidae, established by Engelhardt in 1946. The genus comprises at least two described species: C. ampelopsis, described from North America in 1946, and C. sinensis, described from China in 2002. Larvae of C. ampelopsis have been described and illustrated based on prepupal material, correcting a previous misidentification in larval revision literature. The genus is classified in the tribe Cissuvorini within subfamily Sesiinae.
Cissuvorini
Cissuvorini is a tribe of clearwing moths within the family Sesiidae, established by Duckworth & Eichlin in 1977. Members of this tribe are distributed across Asia and are characterized by their wasp-mimicking appearance, a trait common to the family. The tribe includes the genus Toleria, among others. A 2020 annotated catalogue documented Asian members with distribution records and available host plant data.
Eichlinia
Eichlinia is a genus of clearwing moths in the family Sesiidae, established by Gorbunov in 2020. The genus belongs to the tribe Melittiini within the subfamily Sesiinae. As a recently described genus, its circumscription and included species are still being refined. Members of this genus are part of a group of moths known for their wasp-like appearance and diurnal activity patterns.
Eichlinia gloriosa
thistledown velvet ant
Eichlinia gloriosa is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, first described by Edwards in 1880. The species belongs to a family whose members are known for mimicking wasps or hornets through their transparent wings and wasp-like body shape. As with other sesiid moths, adults are diurnal and often visit flowers for nectar. The genus Eichlinia is part of the tribe Melittiini within the subfamily Sesiinae.
Eichlinia snowii
Clearwing Borer Moth
Eichlinia snowii is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, commonly known as the Clearwing Borer Moth. It belongs to a group of moths that exhibit Batesian mimicry of wasps and hornets through transparent wings and wasp-like coloration. The species was described by Edwards in 1882 and is native to North America. Like other sesiid moths, adults are diurnal and often visit flowers.
Euhagena
Euhagena is a genus of clearwing moths in the family Sesiidae, characterized by wasp-mimicking appearance and diurnal activity. The genus contains seven described species distributed across North America and parts of Eurasia. Members exhibit sexual dimorphism, with males possessing highly bipectinate (feathery) antennae and distinctive thoracic tufts. These moths are rarely attracted to light and are typically encountered by chance observation or through the use of pheromone lures.
Hymenoclea
Hymenoclea is a genus of clearwing moths (family Sesiidae) first described by Engelhardt in 1946. The genus belongs to the subfamily Sesiinae and tribe Synanthedonini. Like other sesiid moths, species in this genus are characterized by mimicry of wasps or hornets in their adult form. The genus is distinct from the plant genus Hymenoclea (Asteraceae), which comprises desert shrubs such as burrobrush.
Osminia
Osminia is a genus of clearwing moths in the family Sesiidae, established by Le Cerf in 1917. The genus comprises 14 described species distributed across multiple continents including North America, Africa, and Asia. Species in this genus belong to the tribe Osminiini. The genus includes both relatively recently described species (several named by Duckworth & Eichlin in 1983 and Eichlin in 1998) and older descriptions dating to the 19th century.
Palmia
Palmia is a monotypic moth genus in the family Sesiidae, established by William Beutenmüller in 1896. The genus contains a single species, Palmia praecedens, described by Henry Edwards in 1883. As a member of the clearwing moth family, adults likely exhibit wasp-mimicking characteristics common to this group.
Paranthrene dollii
Doll's clearwing moth, cottonwood clearwing borer, poplar borer moth, Doll's clearwing, cottonwood clearwing, poplar borer
Paranthrene dollii is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, native to North America. Adults are active from March through October and may produce multiple flights per season. The species is notable for its wasp-mimicking appearance and its larval association with poplar and willow trees, earning it the common name 'cottonwood clearwing borer.'
Paranthrene fenestrata
Paranthrene fenestrata is a species of clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, described by Barnes and Lindsey in 1922. Members of this family are known for their wasp- or bee-mimicking appearance, achieved through transparent wings and body coloration. The genus Paranthrene includes species that often exhibit this form of protective mimicry.
Paranthrene pellucida
Pine Oak Clearwing
Paranthrene pellucida is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, first described in 1979. The common name "Pine Oak Clearwing" suggests association with pine and oak habitats. Like other sesiid moths, adults are wasp mimics with transparent wings and typically have larvae that bore into woody plants. The species is known from the Nearctic region with records from Vermont and the United States.
Paranthrene robiniae
western poplar clearwing, western poplar clearwing moth
Paranthrene robiniae, commonly known as the western poplar clearwing moth, is a species of clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae. This species is notable for its broad geographic distribution across western North America, ranging from Alaska to southern California and eastward into the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains. As a member of the Sesiidae, it likely exhibits wasp-mimicking appearance typical of the family, though specific morphological details are not well documented in available sources. The species name 'robiniae' suggests a possible association with Robinia (locust/black locust), though this host relationship requires confirmation.
Paranthrene sogaardi
Paranthrene sogaardi is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, described by Taft & Smith in 2024. As a member of the genus Paranthrene, it likely exhibits the bee-mimicry characteristics common to this group, including reduced wing scaling that creates transparent areas and wasp-like coloration. The species is newly described with limited published information available.
Paranthrene tabaniformis
dusky clearwing, dusky clearwing moth, poplar clearwing moth
Paranthrene tabaniformis, the dusky clearwing moth, is a sesiid moth native to the Palearctic and Nearctic realms. The species exhibits Batesian mimicry of wasps, with transparent wings and wasp-like coloration. Adults are active from May to August, with flight activity varying by location. The larvae are wood-borers that develop through 6-7 instars, feeding internally on poplar, willow, and sea-buckthorn before pupating in chambers within larval galleries.