Moths of North Carolina
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2 NC Records

Paranthrene dollii (Neumoegen, 1894) - Poplar Clearwing

Paranthrene dolliiParanthrene dollii
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Sesioidea		 Family:
Sesiidae		Subfamily:
Sesiinae		Tribe:
Paranthrenini		P3 Number:
55a0062		 MONA Number:
2523.00		 Other Common Names:
Doll's Clearwing Moth, Poplar Borer
Comments: North America has 136 or more species in the family Sesiidae, with 37 species found in North Carolina. Many are similar in appearance to one another, and some are significant pests of commercial crops. Almost all are mimics of wasps and hornets.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Eichlin and Duckworth (1988)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Parenthrene dollii is a large, reddish, clearwing moth that mimics red paper wasps (e.g., Polistes carolina). The forewing is opaque and dark-brown, with a violet or coppery reflection. Abdominal segments 1-3 are black, while 4-7 are reddish. Segments 2 and 4 each have a narrow reddish-yellow band. Males have a prominent, bipectinate antenna that is strongly dilated at the tip (Solomon, 1995). Females are generally similar, but have a simple antenna, a more robust abdomen, and a very short anal tuft.

The following detailed description of the males is based on that of Engelhardt (1946) and applies to North Carolina specimens. The robust antenna is ochreous with black shading above, broadly bipectinate, and strongly dilated at the tip. The labial palp is rough and rusty red, with black at the bases and on the sides. The head is mostly reddish above and the face shiny sordid white. The thorax varies from black to reddish-black, with the prothorax having a collar of flat scales that are black and edged with rusty red. The tegula and sides are dull brown, and the metathorax has buff and reddish tufts along the sides. The abdomen has segments 1-3 black, 4-7 rufous, and segments 2 and 4 narrowly ringed with pale yellow. Segment 3 is shaded with yellow along its lower margin and segments 5-7 are narrowly edged with black. Banding on the underside is much more pronounced on all segments. The anal tuft is short, narrow, and sordid brown, while the legs are pale rufous with the femora black. The forewing is dark brown, opaque, and has a short reddish bar at the wing base, while the fringe is lighter and blackish-brown. The hindwing is semitransparent and brown, with transparent areas near the wing base and just beyond the discal mark.

Engelhardt (1946) noted that this species shows substantial geographic variation in coloring, with populations from Virginia southward grading into forms where the black and brown on the thorax and abdomen are replaced with bright chestnut and reddish-brown. Specimens in the Midwest typically are darker overall with pale rufous wings and an abdomen with all segments striped with yellow.
Wingspan: Males 30-34 mm; females 30-40 mm (Engelhardt (1946).
Forewing Length: 12-18 mm (Brown and Mizell, 1993).
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larvae bore into the main trunks and branches of willows and poplars and can cause significant damage to plants, particularly in southern nurseries where cottonwoods are grown. Solomon (1995) provided a detailed life history account that is mostly based on studies in northern Florida and Mississippi by Cook and Solomon (1976), Eroles-Harkins (1983) and Sharp et al. (1978). Local populations in this region typically have two or three seasonal peaks in male flights from mid-April through late-summer or fall, and probably have one or two generations per year. The males are most active during the mid-day hours and the mated females oviposit for 2-6 days in deep cracks, crevices and other cavities close to the base of the tree. The hatchlings first feed in the bark, then enter the wood and create galleries that either follow the pith when higher up on the trunk, or meander when at the tree base. Several galleries can often be present on the same tree, but they do not intersect. The larvae pass through 12 instars in the wild and create galleries as long as 10 cm when mature. The galleries are filled with frass pellets and fine wood shavings. The final instar pupates in a silk-lined chamber in the gallery near the distal end. Before pupating, the larva first makes a short exit tunnel with a flimsy bark flap that extends almost to the bark surface. At emergence, the pupa works its way through the tunnel and protrudes through the exit hole where the adult emerges.

Engelhardt (1946) reported that the adults in New York emerge in June and July. The larvae overwinter and continue feeding through the following fall. They then create pupal chambers in the upper part of the gallery, but do not pupate until the following May or June. The adult emerged 2-3 weeks after the larvae pupate.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Paranthrene dollii is found primarily in the eastern US. There also are isolated records from southeastern Arizona, and in Ontario and New Brunswick. In the eastern US the range extends from Massachusetts southward along the Atlantic Seaboard to southern Florida, and westward to central Texas, central Oklahoma, Missouri, eastern Kansas, Iowa, Wisconsin and southern Minnesota. As of 2024, we have only two records, with both from the northeastern Coastal Plain.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Paranthrene dollii
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Flight Comments: The adults have been found from February through November in the southern portion of the range, but typically fly from April through August elsewhere. As of 2024, our two records are both from August.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Local populations are generally found along the borders of streams, swamps and other natural wetlands where willows and popular are present. Engelhardt (1946) noted that the best places for collecting are in suburban districts where real-estate developments are interfering with plant growth, leaving trees and shrubs in a weakened and mutilated condition. Our two records as of 2024 are both from natural wetland habitats with swamplands.
Larval Host Plants: The larvae appear to specialize on willows and poplars (Engelhardt, 1946; Solomon, 1995), but the specific hosts have rarely been documented. The known hosts include Black Willow (Salix nigra), Balsam Poplar (Populus balsamifera), Eastern Cottonwood (P. deltoides), and ornamental hybrid poplars, but other species of willows and poplars are likely used. - View
Observation Methods: The diurnally-active adults are occasionally seen in and around wetlands with the host plants, and the larval bore holes and galleries are often evident at the bases of trees. The adults are also attracted to artificial pheromone lures.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Poplar Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status: [W-PK]
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR SNR [S1S2]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This species appears to be rare in North Carolina, with only two records as of 2024, and both from the extreme northeastern Coastal Plain.

 Photo Gallery for Paranthrene dollii - Poplar Clearwing

Photos: 2

Recorded by: T. DeSantis on 2011-08-06
Camden Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Floyd Williams on 2005-08-27
Gates Co.
Comment: BugGuide: Photo#31560; moth was perched on Japanese honeysuckle ~ 10 m from swamp.