Species Details

ABH: 52.014

BF: 382

Family: Sesiidae

Subfamily: Sesiinae

Taxon: Bembecia ichneumoniformis

Authority: ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

Vernacular: Six-belted Clearwing

Account: Nationally scarce (Nb) on chalk and limestone grassland, downland, embankments and quarries in southern England, south Wales and east Yorkshire. Fairly widely distributed mainly on downland across Hampshire, and mainly along the south coast in the Isle of Wight. Wingspan 15-21 mm. Unmistakable. Day-flying, sometimes found nectaring by day but most frequently encountered as a visitor to pheromone lure. Larva feeds within roots of Bird's-foot Trefoil and Kidney Vetch.

Accounts provided by and used with the kind permission of Mike Wall, Hampshire County Moth Recorder. These will in due course be gradually replaced with species accounts with a Surrey context.

Wingspan: 15 — 21 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 5 Jun (2007) — 12 Aug (2023)

The flight period of overwintering adults are not given. See the flight chart below the distribution map.

Foodplant:

Foodplant accounts are from the HOSTS database — Natural History Museum, London, UK. (CC0).

Status: Least Concern (LC)

UK BAP:

WCA:

Click here to view the full geology map of Surrey.

Verification Grade: 1 — Relatively easily identified 👌

Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/bembecia-ichneumoniformis/

Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 48

Individuals: 39

Earliest Year: 1879

Latest Year: 2025

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