52.002 Hornet Moth Copyright Martin Evans
52.002 Hornet Moth and Lunar Hornet Moth Copyright Martin Evans
Distribution map Copyright Martin Evans
Life stages table Copyright Martin Evans 52.002 Hornet Moth Copyright Martin Evans

Sesiidae

52.002 Hornet Moth Sesia apiformis (Clerck, 1759)

Notable B

Similar species: Lunar Hornet Moth Sesia bembeciformis lacks the yellow top to the head and yellow shoulder patches, but has a yellow collar.

Forewing: 17 to 21mm

Habitats: Trees in the open without to much surrounding vegetation. Open woodland, poplar wind breaks, hedgerows with trees, fens and marshes, amenity planting and the margins of poplar plantations.

Habits: The moth is diurnal, but the male is rarely attracted to pheromone lures. To record the moth search inhabited trees early in the morning to find newly emerged moths.

Foodplant: The larva inhabits Aspen, Black Poplar, Lombardy Poplar, Balsam Polar, Grey Poplar, White Poplar and occasionally willows. It feeds under the bark at ground level or just below, within the living inner wood and overwinters at least twice. The exit holes are near the base of the tree and may still have the pupal case in the hole after emergence. The old exit holes and brown frass at the base of a trunk are the signs of an infected tree.