Western Poplar Clearwing - Hodges#2526
Paranthrene robiniae
This record describes Paranthrene robiniae (species). Recorded family: Sesiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Additional details | Adult - colored almost exactly like a paper wasp. Mostly yellow, first three abdominal segments black. |
| Head | Head is black, with yellow facial scales. FW orange brown with darker veins; HW clear with a deep yellow discal mark, fringed with dark brown scales. |
| Antennae | Antennae of males are bipectinate, simple in females. Larva - white to grayish white with brown head and thoracid shield. |
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Cossoidea
- Family
- Sesiidae (Clearwing Moths)
- Subfamily
- Tinthiinae
- Tribe
- Paranthrenini
- Genus
- Paranthrene
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
From Alaska, along the Pacific coast to southern CA, inland to the desert Southwest, throughout the Rockies, east to North Dakota and Kansas. Pohl et al. adds Alberta, Canada. Type Location: Virginia City, Nevada.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae bore the wood of poplars ( Populus , Salicaceae) and willows ( Salix , Salicaceae) and ornamental birches in Betula (Betulaceae), often in trees already weakened by wood-boring beetles. Edwards reported them on black locust ( Robinia pseudoacacia , Fabaceae), as well as Populus , but later researchers do not mention locust. ,
Life History
Eggs are laid in bark crevices and wounds and hatch in about 20 days. Overwinters as larva in a pupal chamber which is capped with silk. Pupation occurs in late May or June of the larva's second year.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific name robiniae is from the plant genus Robinia , one of the larval hosts Edwards listed in his description.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Paranthrene robiniae. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Western Poplar Clearwing - Hodges#2526 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Hartmut Wisch; Additional contributions by Tom Bentley , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Western Poplar Clearwing - Hodges#2526
What is Western Poplar Clearwing - Hodges#2526?
Western Poplar Clearwing - Hodges#2526 (Paranthrene robiniae) is a species in the family Sesiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Western Poplar Clearwing - Hodges#2526?
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | Wingspan: ♂ 23-30 mm, ♀ 30-36 mm. |
| Forewing | Forewing length 11-18 mm. , Larva to 23-30 mm. Pupa 18-20 mm. |
How do you identify Western Poplar Clearwing - Hodges#2526?
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Additional details | Adult - colored almost exactly like a paper wasp. Mostly yellow, first three abdominal segments black. |
| Head | Head is black, with yellow facial scales. FW orange brown with darker veins; HW clear with a deep yellow discal mark, fringed with dark brown scales. |
| Antennae | Antennae of males are bipectinate, simple in females. Larva - white to grayish white with brown head and thoracid shield. |
Where is Western Poplar Clearwing - Hodges#2526 found?
Range: From Alaska, along the Pacific coast to southern CA, inland to the desert Southwest, throughout the Rockies, east to North Dakota and Kansas. Pohl et al. adds Alberta, Canada. Type Location: Virginia City, Nevada.
What does Western Poplar Clearwing - Hodges#2526 eat?
The diet of the Western Poplar Clearwing - Hodges#2526 includes Larvae bore the wood of poplars ( Populus , Salicaceae) and willows ( Salix , Salicaceae) and ornamental birches in Betula (Betulaceae), often in trees already weakened by wood-boring beetles. Edwards reported them on black locust ( Robinia pseudoacacia , Fabaceae), as well as Populus , but later researchers do not mention locust. ,.
What is the life cycle of a Western Poplar Clearwing - Hodges#2526?
Eggs are laid in bark crevices and wounds and hatch in about 20 days. Overwinters as larva in a pupal chamber which is capped with silk. Pupation occurs in late May or June of the larva's second year.