David Element's Wildlife Web Page Moths 16

David Element

Wildlife Photography

and Digital Video Images

_____________ Moths 16 - Clearwing Moths 1

ORANGE-TAILED CLEARWING MOTH Synanthedon anthraciniformis

YELLOW-LEGGED CLEARWING MOTH Synanthedon vespiformis

RED-BELTED CLEARWING Synanthedon myopaeformis

FIERY CLEARWING Bembacia chrysidiformis

The above moths are all members of the Sesiidae, a family of hymenopteran mimics. All are notable species in Britain and they typically possess clear, scale-free areas on their wings. The Fiery Clearwing was photographed in northern Spain and the Red-belted Clearwing in the London suburbs. The Yellow-legged Clearwing was found in Hampshire and the Orange-tailed Clearwing, a true rarity, was lured to a trap during the biennial Butterfly Conservation Butterfly Garden Show in Surrey. Many thanks to Paul at Biota and Mark Tunmore of 'Atropos' for temporarily releasing this moth from captivity so that photographs could be taken. This image is a captured mini-DV still.

RECOMMENDED REFERENCE:

There is an excellent article by Paul Waring, senior author of 'FIELD GUIDE TO THE MOTHS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND', PAUL WARING, MARTIN TOWNSEND AND RICHARD LEWINGTON, BRITISH WILDLIFE PUBLISHING. ISBN 0 0531399 3 (HARDBACK); ISBN 0 9531399 1 3 (PAPERBACK), covering the identification, status and biology of the Clearwing Moths in 'British Wildlife' Volume 16 Number 4 April 2005. This contains high quality photographs of two thirds of the British species and a page of illustrations by Richard Lewington showing the full range.

Links to 'ARKive' species accounts: