''Synanthedon exitiosa'', the peachtree borer, is a species of

moth Moths are a group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not Butterfly, butterflies. They were previously classified as suborder Heterocera, but the group is Paraphyly, paraphyletic with respect to butterflies (s ...

in the family

Sesiidae The Sesiidae or clearwing moths are a diurnality, diurnal moth family (biology), family in the order Lepidoptera known for their Batesian mimicry in both appearance and behaviour of various Hymenoptera. The family consists of 165 genus, genera ...

that is native to North America.Strickland, J. S
''Synanthedon exitiosa''.
Featured Creatures. Department of Entomology and Nematology. University of Florida IFAS. Updated October 2014. The adult female of the species has a wingspan of about 3.5 centimeters. It is dark metallic blue in color with an orange band around the abdomen. It has opaque forewings and clear hindwings. The male is smaller and more slender, and both pairs of wings are clear. The

larva A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...

is up to 3.5 centimeters long and white with a brown head. The host plants are trees and

shrub A shrub or bush is a small to medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees by their multiple ...

s of the genus ''

Prunus ''Prunus'' is a genus of flowering plant, flowering trees and shrubs from the family (biology), family Rosaceae. The genus includes plums, cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots and almonds (collectively Drupe, stonefruit). The genus has a cosm ...

'', such as

peach The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and Agriculture, cultivated in China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and the glossy-skinned, non-fuzzy varieties called necta ...

cherry A cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus ''Prunus'', and is a fleshy drupe (stone fruit). Commercial cherries are obtained from cultivars of several species, such as the sweet '' Prunus avium'' and the sour '' Prunus cerasus''. The na ...

, and

apricot An apricot (, ) is a fruit, or the tree that bears the fruit, of several species in the genus ''Prunus''. Usually an apricot is from the species '' P. armeniaca'', but the fruits of the other species in ''Prunus'' sect. ''Armeniaca'' are also ...

. The female lays eggs around the base of the trunk, and the larvae bore into it. They feed on the

cambium A cambium (: cambiums or cambia), in plants, is a tissue layer that provides partially undifferentiated cells for plant growth. It is found in the area between xylem and phloem. A cambium can also be defined as a cellular plant tissue from whic ...

, producing damage so severe that it often kills the tree.

Gallery

Synanthedon_exitiosa.jpg, Adult Synanthedon exitiosa larva.jpg, Caterpillar Synanthedon exitiosa damage.jpg, Damage

References

External links

Species info at Bug Guide
Sesiidae Agricultural pest insects Moths described in 1823 {{Sesiidae-stub