Sesiidae

52.013 Currant Clearwing Synanthedon tipuliformis (Clerck, 1759)

Notable B

Similar species:

Forewing: 8 to 10mm

Habitats: Fruit farms, allotments and gardens, wild currant bushes in sunny positions in fens, along stream margins and in open woodland.

Habits: The male flies around the foodplants in sunny weather and often lands on the foliage. It is attracted to pheromone lures from around mid-day until early evening. The moth has been recorded at the flowers of Ground Elder.

Foodplant: The larva feeds in the stems or side stems of Black Currant, Red Currant and sometimes Gooseberry growing in sunshine. It usually overwinters only once in the stem where it later pupates. The larva can be detected by the frass oozing from cracks in the bark or from the ends of broken stems.