Pyralidae : Galleriinae
Bee Moth
APHOMIA sociella (Linnaeus, 1758)
Bee Moth
APHOMIA sociella (Linnaeus, 1758)
Life Cycle Guide-Imago Only
Description
Wingspan: 25-38mm
Worldwide Distribution: North Africa : Europe : Asia Minor : Syria : Has been recorded in South Eastern North America
UK Distribution: Fairly common and widespread throughout Britain
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Gardens : Woodland : Parks : Hedgerows : Parkland
Similar Species -
Pupa: Pupates in cocoons of tough dense silk in dark places
Overwinters as: Larva in a cocoon
Observations: The Bee Moth is one of those unusual moths that are not only dimorphic to the point one could be forgiven for considering the male and female as being two separate species,such is the different appearance of the sexes, but the larvae live in the nests of Bumblebees and wasps where they feed on debris and old cells as well as the brood or dead insects and can be found in large numbers.
The male forewing is creamy buff both at the base to the antemedial facia and again at the subterminal fascia to the termen. Between these two fascia there is a large patch that is a greyish brown.
The female tends to be browner with the forewing patch being having a pink tinge. Along the costa to the termen the colour is greenish. There is a prominent black spot in the central patch.
Worldwide Distribution: North Africa : Europe : Asia Minor : Syria : Has been recorded in South Eastern North America
UK Distribution: Fairly common and widespread throughout Britain
UK Conservation Status -
- Common = >300 10Km Squares
- Least Concern
- Phalaena sociella Linnaeus 1758
- Phalaena sociella (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Europe
Habitat: Gardens : Woodland : Parks : Hedgerows : Parkland
Similar Species -
- Aphomia zelleri Joannis 1932-narrower winged than Female Bee Moth
Pupa: Pupates in cocoons of tough dense silk in dark places
Overwinters as: Larva in a cocoon
Observations: The Bee Moth is one of those unusual moths that are not only dimorphic to the point one could be forgiven for considering the male and female as being two separate species,such is the different appearance of the sexes, but the larvae live in the nests of Bumblebees and wasps where they feed on debris and old cells as well as the brood or dead insects and can be found in large numbers.
The male forewing is creamy buff both at the base to the antemedial facia and again at the subterminal fascia to the termen. Between these two fascia there is a large patch that is a greyish brown.
The female tends to be browner with the forewing patch being having a pink tinge. Along the costa to the termen the colour is greenish. There is a prominent black spot in the central patch.
Photo Gallery
Larval Food Plants Worldwide
Bee Moth larvae live in the nests of Bumblebees and wasps where they feed on debris and old cells as
well as the brood or dead insects and can be found in large numbers.
Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily: Tribe: Genus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - APHOMIA: Original Species Name: Species Names: Genus Group Names: Literary Ref: Type Locality: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Pyraloidea Pyralidae Galleriinae Tirathabini APHOMIA Hübner, [1825] Aphomia sociella (Linnaeus, 1758) - Phalaena sociella (Linnaeus 1758) - PHALAENA sociella (Linnaeus 1758) = Tinea colonella Linnaeus, 1758 = Tinea sociella Linnaeus, 1758 = Tinea tribunella ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) = Lithosia socia Fabricius, 1798 = Crambus colonum Fabricius, 1798 = Crambus colonatus Haworth, 1809 = Aphomia rufinella Krulikowski, 1909 = Aphomia grisea Turati, 1913 = Aphomia asiatica Caradja, 1916 = Aphomia virescens Skala, 1929 = Aphomia minor Dufrane, 1930 = Aphomia lanceolata Dufrane, 1930 = Aphomia eritrella Della Beffa, 1941 = Aphomia pedemontella Della Beffa, 1941 - APHOMIA Hübner 1825 = Arenipses Hampson 1901 - Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1 : Title page : p.534 - n.234 - Europe |