Large Redbelted Clearwing
From Bugwoodwiki
|
Contents |
Hosts
Alder, birch. Alder is the preferred host in North America (Duckworth and Eichlin 1978); white birch is favored in Europe (Beutenmuller 1901). Adult moths have been taken at flowers (Duckworth and Eichlin 1978).
Range
From Alaska south to California and Nevada and east to Montana and Colorado (Doane and others 1936, Engelhardt 1946). Ranges in Europe to Lapland, Finland, and along the northern borders into Siberia; thus, considered a circumpolar species (Engelhardt 1946).
Description
Adult
Black and orange clearwing moth. Wings mostly hyaline except for dark scales on margins, veins, and discal spot (Duckworth and Eichlin 1978, Thompson 1927). Forewings lightly powered with orange near base. Wingspan of 21 to 28 mm. Head and antennae brownish black with white laterally and orange-red scales ventrally on labial palpi. Thorax brown black with orange markings beneath wings. Abdomen black with slight blue-green iridescence. Segment 4 orange red dorsally and ventrally. Segment 2 often narrowly edged with orange red. Anal tuft wedge shaped and blue black in male; narrow and blunt in female.
Larva
Generally light colored with dark brown head and light brown thoracic shield; 17 to 22 mm long.
Biology
Moths emerge as early as April in California and as late as August in Washington (Eichlin and Duckworth 1988). Females deposit eggs on the bark of host trees, preferring to oviposit on trees with bark injuries. Young larvae begin boring into the bark and cambium and later into the wood. Attacks usually are concentrated around bruised places, cuts, and other bark injuries. Tunnels are usually shallow and meandering. Larvae overwinter in galleries and pupate in early spring; adults emerge during spring and summer.
Injury and Damage
Wet spots on the bark and frass in bark crevices provide evidence of active attack. Attacks occur on the trunk and larger limbs. Initially, burrows are found only in the bark and cambium, but later galleries penetrate the wood (Essig 1958, Thompson 1927). The outer bark of heavily damaged trees may appear roughened or blistered. Gallery openings in the bark of heavily damaged trees may appear roughned or blistered. Gallery openings in the bark up to 7.2 mm in diameter distinguished the species from S. resplendens (Hy. Edwards), which makes openings in the bark of only about 1.2 mm in diameter (Kaya 1984). Pupal skins protruding from openings in the bark are sure signs of infestaion. Open-grown trees in parks, recreation areas, and urban settings suffer most from this borer (Engelhardt 1946).
Control
Good tree maintenance, especially prevention of bark injuries, helps to minimize infestations. The only insect parasite reported is Macrocentrus marginator (Nees) (Marsh 1979). Entomogenous nematodes--Neoaplectana bibionis Bovien and N. carpocapsae Weiser--have yielded 77 to 93% control of larvae when applied during fall (Kaya 1984, Kaya and Brown 1986). Chemical sprays properly times can control infestations.
Gallery
 Photo by Edward H. Holsten, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org |  Photo by Edward H. Holsten, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org |
References
Solomon, J.D. 1995. Guide to insect borers of North American broadleaf trees and shrubs. Argic. Handbk. 706. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 735 p.
