Species Details

ABH: 52.012

BF: 374

Family: Sesiidae

Subfamily: Sesiinae

Taxon: Synanthedon vespiformis

Authority: (Linnaeus, 1761)

Vernacular: Yellow-legged Clearwing

Account: Nationally scarce (Nb) in open woodland, parks and hedgerows in central southern England northwards to Yorkshire; occasionally locally common in gardens and on allotments. Day-flying, occasionally seen in flight in woodland where oak trees have been felled. The early stages may be sought during the winter months, but synthetic pheromone lures are used to attract males nowadays, and this has led to a marked increase in records of the species in recent years. Larva feeds in the bark of Oak, Silver Birch, Downy Birch, Wych Elm and English Elm; larval workings may sometimes be found in abundance between the bark and wood of one-year-old oak stumps.

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: 17 — 24 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 10 May (2025) — 19 Sep (2024)

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

Foodplant: Quercus sp. (an oak).

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/synanthedon-vespiformis/

Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 65

Individuals: 79

Earliest Year: 1900

Latest Year: 2025

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