Large redbelted clearwing
Synanthedon culiciformis (Linnaeus)
From: 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.
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.
Damage frass & wound. Edward H. Holsten,
USDA Forest Service. |
Larva(e). Edward H. Holsten,
USDA Forest Service. |
Adult(s). Edward H. Holsten,
USDA Forest Service.
|
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