Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello all,
I found this little guy out in my yard the other day. At first I thought it was a wasp mimic moth, but the antennae look more like those of a butterly. I live in Salt Lake City, Utah, and any help in identification would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Scott

Well, it's a very dark pic on my faulty screen, but near as I can tell, it looks like a pigeon horntail, which is a kind of wasp whose larvae feed on inner layers of tree bark.

Hi Scott - Horntails have segmented antennae and this clearly doesn't. The "flair" above the "ovipositor" also is not how horntails look. I would go with your first i.d. and say wasp moth. Butterflies have clubbed antennae and moths are like feathers. The tip of this one is curved but not clubbed. it definitely looks like moth antennae to me. For a quick definite i.d. try bugguide.net. there is a an i.d. request page and there is usually a fast response - from folks who really know thier stuff! http://www.bugguide.net/node/view/6/bgimage

Mimics are so cool!

lele

Prairie Dancer - you need a better moinitor (LOL)
Link

Hello Lele,
Thank you for the clarification!! I was able to find a Lepidopterist society here in Utah, and have sent them a picture of this mimic for identification. My closest guess upon further investigation is a Yellow-legged Clearwing (Synanthedon vespiformis), but I am still not completely sure at this point. I will reply with a more definitive result when I get it.
Thanks again!!
Regards,
Scott

Hi Scott,

I think you may be right or...
dogwood borer (Synanthedon scitula) or
currant borer (Synanthedon tipuliformis) check out this page:
www.forestryimages.org/cgi-bin/searchthumb.cfm?start=1&searchparam=Synanthedon

also look at this one. The pix are from Europe but there is crossover
www.leps.it/thContSesii.htm

here are two more. I am leaning toward the currant borer
www.gardensafari.net/english/145javamoths.htm?/english/remaining_micro.htm
www.nysaes.cornell.edu/fst/faculty/acree/pheronet/ins/synantipul.html

let me know if the Utah Lep Soc. helps. I am a member of the national Lep Society and could email the pic to someone if you don't mind me copying the pic.

lele

Hi Lele,

Thank you for the links to check. I agree, it does look like a Dogwood borer (Synanthedon scitula), or perhaps a Currant borer (Synanthedon tipuliformis), although the Current borer has a solid black patch about a third the way up on the wing, whereas the Dogwood, yellow legged and my specimen, all have a red patch bordered in black. I also found a Six-belted Clearwing (Bembecia ichneumoniformis) example, and that one also looks similar, although there are once again wing differences. Please feel free to send the photo I took to your lepidopterist society, and perhaps between ours here and yours, we can find out what this is. Thanks again!
Regards,
Scott

I suppose I do. I wish I could make my pics much lighter. All I can see is the black/yellow slender body...way too slender and uniform for a bee or wasp, but I can't even see the antennae or wings! This is why it looked much like a horntail to me. Horntails, themselves, are rather interesting, too.

I can definitely see how you thought horntail especially if not clear - they are very cool creatures, too!

Is it your monitor or just your settings? If you go into desktop properties and then settings you can try different ones to make sure you are using the most compatible...just a thought

lele