Species Details

ABH: 52.003

BF: 371

Family: Sesiidae

Subfamily: Sesiinae

Taxon: Sesia bembeciformis

Authority: (Hübner, [1806])

Vernacular: Lunar Hornet Moth

Account: Common in fens, woodland, heaths, moorland and hedgerows throughout much of the British Isles, with most records in central and southern England Day-flying. Mainly recorded in the larval form, but the early stages are not easy to find during the winter months; attempts to synthesise an artificial pheromone have so far proved only partially successful. Larva feeds within wood of Sallow, Poplar and Willow, over-wintering twice.

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: 32 — 42 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 2 Jul (2022) — 23 Jul (2024)

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

Foodplant: Salix sp. (a sallow).

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: 2 — Care needed to identify, an image may be required 🤔
Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/sesia-bembeciformis/
Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 27

Individuals: 29

Earliest Year: 1906

Latest Year: 2024

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