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Mila'sExotic Plants & CuriositiesA living collection by Luminary OdditiesLuminary Oddities · Natural history & art
Sesia apiformis
Lepidoptera / Sesiidae
Sesia apiformis is a day-flying clearwing moth with the yellow-and-black body pattern of a hornet. Its larvae spend several winters tunnelling through the bases and roots of poplar trees.
Read the species account
Transparent wings accompany a yellow abdomen crossed by black bands. [2]
The yellow head and thoracic epaulettes distinguish the species from Sesia bembeciformis. [3]
Belgian specimens span approximately 30–50 mm, with females usually larger than males. [1]
In Belgium the moth occupies poplar avenues, riverbanks and parks. [1]
Britain’s population is concentrated southwards and is rarely encountered north of the Midlands. [3]
Belgian larvae overwinter two or three times, preparing an exit beneath intact bark and a silk-and-wood cocoon before the final winter. [1]
The pupa pushes partly through the emergence opening before the adult escapes; empty pupal skins can remain protruding from tree bases. [2]
Poplars, especially black poplar and hybrid poplars, provide the larval wood and root tissues. Willow is an occasional host in Belgium. Adults have a strongly reduced, non-functional proboscis. [1]
Newly emerged females attract males, and mating pairs are often seen on sunlit trunks in early morning. [1]
The cocoon holds the pupa head upwards below the exit; in Sesia bembeciformis it lies above the exit and faces downwards. [1]
In French nurseries and young plantations, numerous larval galleries can weaken the trunk base enough for a sapling to dry out or break. Repeated attacks can also undermine the root collar of larger trees. [2]
De Sélys-Longchamps listed the species as Sesia Apiformis in Belgium in 1837. [1]
The 2023 Red List for Flanders classifies the hornet moth as Least Concern. [1]
Keep the enclosure closed and display it in indirect light, away from heat and damp conditions. Handle the frame by its edges and clean only its exterior according to the maker’s instructions.
Flemish Entomological Society and Belgian Biodiversity Platform · Accessed 2026-10-13
INRAE and Département de la Santé des Forêts · Accessed 2026-10-13
Ian Kimber, UKMoths · Accessed 2026-10-13
Sources checked 2026-10-13. Illustrations · Luminary Oddities.
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