Wasp-mimicry
Guides
Synanthedon culiciformis
large red-belted clearwing, Large Red-belted Clearwing Moth
Synanthedon culiciformis is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, distributed across the Palearctic and Nearctic realms. Adults are active from April to August and exhibit wasp-mimicking coloration. The species develops as a wood-boring larva in deciduous trees, particularly birch and alder.
Synanthedon decipiens
oakgall clearwing, oak gall borer, Oak Gall Borer Moth
Synanthedon decipiens is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, found in eastern North America. The species develops as a borer within woody oak galls formed by cynipid wasps. Adults are active primarily in June, with a possible second generation in September in some regions. The moth exhibits effective wasp mimicry, with a slender body, narrow transparent wings, and yellow abdominal banding.
Synanthedon sapygaeformis
Florida Oakgall Moth, Florida Oakgall Borer Moth
Synanthedon sapygaeformis is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, commonly known as the Florida Oakgall Moth or Florida Oakgall Borer Moth. A subspecies, S. sapygaeformis floridensis, has been documented in Florida with biological notes published in 1964. As with other sesiids, this species exhibits wasp mimicry through its transparent wings and hymenopteran-like appearance. The specific epithet 'sapygaeformis' references a resemblance to wasps in the genus Sapyga.
Syntomeida melanthus
Black-banded Wasp Moth
Syntomeida melanthus, the black-banded wasp moth, is a day-flying arctiine moth native to the southwestern United States, Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. Adults exhibit wasp-mimicry with contrasting coloration and are active during spring and fall in the United States. The species was described by Pieter Cramer in 1779 and belongs to a genus known for sequestering cardiac glycosides from host plants.
Syrphus knabi
Eastern Flower Fly
Syrphus knabi is an uncommon species of syrphid fly found in eastern North America. Adults are medium-sized hover flies, 7.2–12.9 mm in length, with distinctive yellow and black banded abdomens and sexually dimorphic head coloration. The species is a known aphid predator in its larval stage.
Temnostoma barberi
Bare-bellied Falsehorn
Temnostoma barberi is a Nearctic syrphid fly (hoverfly) described by Curran in 1939. The species exhibits Batesian mimicry of hymenopterans, with adults showing behavioral mimicry by moving their forelegs in front of the head to simulate wasp antennae. It is closely related to T. daochus, and both species form a lineage sister to the rest of the genus Temnostoma. The species has a strikingly different mimicry pattern compared to T. daochus, contributing to understanding of evolutionary plasticity in wasp mimicry.
Tenthredo
Common Sawflies
Tenthredo is a large genus of sawflies comprising over 700 species with Holarctic distribution. Adults exhibit wasp-mimicry with long antennae and lack the narrow petiole ('wasp waist') characteristic of true wasps. Larvae are herbivorous and feed on diverse host plants, with most species showing host specificity. Adults are predatory or omnivorous, feeding on smaller insects as well as pollen and nectar at flowers. The genus is notable for its complex wing venation and soft-bodied, delicate adults.
Therevidae
Stiletto flies
Therevidae, commonly known as stiletto flies, is a family of brachyceran flies in the superfamily Asiloidea containing approximately 1,600 described species worldwide. The family is most diverse in arid and semiarid regions with sandy soils. Adults are small to medium-sized (2.4–18 mm) with hairy bodies and are often brightly colored, with many species exhibiting wasp or ant mimicry. Larvae are apodous, eucephalic, and predatory, living in soil and other substrates where they hunt insect larvae.
Trigonopeltastes delta
delta flower scarab, D beetle
Trigonopeltastes delta is a diurnal scarab beetle in the subfamily Cetoniinae, commonly known as the delta flower scarab or D beetle. Adults measure 8–10 mm in length and are distinguished by a prominent yellow triangle on the pronotum that resembles the Greek letter delta, giving the species its name. This marking has been theorized to function in Batesian mimicry of wasp defensive coloration. The beetle is native to the southeastern United States with range extending north to New Jersey, and is frequently observed on flowers from late spring through summer.
Zenodoxus mexicanus
Zenodoxus mexicanus is a clearwing moth (family Sesiidae) described by Beutenmüller in 1897. The genus Zenodoxus belongs to the subfamily Tinthiinae, a group of sesiid moths characterized by their wasp-mimicking appearance and diurnal activity patterns. This species occurs in the Nearctic and Neotropical regions, with the specific epithet suggesting a Mexican distribution. Clearwing moths in this family are typically associated with woody plants, with larvae often boring into stems or roots.