52.004 : 372 : 4039
Sesiidae : Sesiinae

Dusky Clearwing

PARANTHRENE tabaniformis (Rottemburg, 1775)
Picture
Kind permission - © Tim Norriss
Life Cycle Guide -Europe Only
Picture
Description
Wingspan: 18-20mm
Worldwide Distribution: Holarctic Region - Europe through to Asia and N America
UK Distribution: Not known - believed extinct
UK Conservation Status - Unconfirmed - possibly extinct
European Conservation Status -
  • Least Concern
Original Species Name -
  • Sphinx tabaniformis (Rottemburg, 1775)
Type Species - Paranthrene
Type Locality -
  • Sphinx asiliformis ([Denis & Schifffermüller],1775)
Flight Period: Early May to late August
Habitat: Broadland Woods : Coastal habitat
Similar Species -
  • None
Larva: Early stages of the moths life cycle has never been observed in Britain, but possibly it will be identical to that encountered abroad.The life cycle takes two years where the larva overwinters twice.The early stage larva spends its first winters in a twig inside the gall of the Longhorn Beetle before moving along the twig creating itself a larger gall in which it overwinters a second time before pupating.
The larva is yellowish-white with a blackish-brown head.
Overwinters as: Larva - twice
Observations: An easy reconisable moth with brownish forewings and 4 thin yellow rings around the abdomen.

Although this moth has not been recorded in Britain since 1924 it does cover the Holarctic region of the world from east to west, and with global warming plus advances made with current pheromone lures it is not impossible to imagine it will be rediscovered again.

Two main subspecies cover this moth with P.t.synagriformis Rambur,[1866] being found in Morocco,Algeria,Tunisia,Egypt,Spain,Portugal & SE France and P.t.tabaniformis (Rottembug, 1775) being the nominate subspecies covering all other regions.
Subspecies
P.t.tabaniformis (Rottemburg, 1775) - Europe - Nominate subspecies
Larval Food Plants Worldwide
Note - Plants hyperlinked in red below take the visitor to the relevant plant page on"Plants for a Future" website where further information like photos,physical characteristics,habitats,edible uses,medicinal uses,cultivation,propagation,range,height etc. are clearly listed.
  • Plant Families - in bold red below takes the visitor to the relevant "Lepi-plants" page where other butterflies & moths using the plants below are listed.
Larval Food Plants
Taxonomy
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Type Species PARANTHRENE:

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Subspecies:
Animalia
Eumetozoa
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Cossoidea
Sesiidae
Sesiinae
PARANTHRENE Hübner [1819]
Paranthrene tabaniformis (Rottemburg,1775)
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Sphinx asiliformis ([Denis & Schifffermüller],1775)
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SPHINX tabaniformis (Rottemburg, 1775)
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PARANTHRENE Hübner(1819)
= Sciapteron Staudinger 1854
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Home Page - Anmerkungen zu den Hufnagelischen Tabellen der Schmetterlinge.
Autor: Rottemburg, S.A.v., Seiten 105 - 112 : p.110 - n.4
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Germany - Landsberg an der Warthe
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P.t.synagriformis Rambur,[1866] - Morocco : Algeria : Tunisia : Egypt :  Spain : Portugal : SE.France
P.t.tabiniformis (Rottemburg,1775) - Europe - Nominate subspecies