Moths of North Carolina

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Synanthedon kathyae Duckworth & Eichlin, 1977 - Holly Borer Moth

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Sesioidea

Family:
Sesiidae

Subfamily:
Sesiinae

Tribe:
Synanthedonini

P3 Number:
55a0099

MONA Number:
2579.00

Comments: North America has 136 or more species in the family Sesiidae, and the large genus Synanthedon constitutes around half of the 37 species found in North Carolina, many being similar in appearance to one another. Some sesiids, known broadly as clearwing borers, 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, BOLD

Technical Description, Adults: Eichlin and Duckworth (1988)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Eichlin and Duckworth (1988)

Adult Markings: The adults of Synanthedon kathyae are bluish-black overall with clear wings, yellow body markings, and prominent yellow bands on abdominal segments four and five. The following description of the male is based on the original description of this species by Duckworth and Eichlin (1977).

The antenna is bluish-black, clavate, and tufted with scales apically, while the labial palp is yellow. The head is bluish-black above and in the front, except for white lateroventrally and a yellow occipital fringe. The thorax is bluish-black, with subdorsal yellow stripes, and mostly yellow laterally beneath the wings. The abdomen is bluish-black, with two broad yellow bands on segments 4 and 5, along with an all-yellow venter except for segments 2 and 3 that are bluish-black. The anal tuft is elongate and bluish-black. The legs are predominantly yellow. The tibia of the hindleg is yellow, with bluish-black at the base and on the apical third, while the tarsi are yellow. The forewing is mostly hyaline, with the margins, veins and discal spot bluish-black. The costal and anal margins are often lightly dusted with yellow above, and more strongly so below on the margins and between the veins apically. The hindwing is also hyaline, with narrow bluish-black margins and a yellowish costa. The fringe is bluish-black and becomes yellow at the wing base. The females are generally similar, but lack ventral cilia on the antenna, have a slightly broader apical margin on the forewing and have an anal tuft that is brush-like.

Forewing Length: 8-11 mm for both sexes (Duckworth and Eichlin, 1977).

Adult Structural Features: Duckworth and Eichlin (1977) provide illustrations of the male and female genitalia.

Structural photos

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.

Immatures and Development: The larvae are borers and are thought to specialize on hollies, but more information is needed on host use. The only life history account is that of Ghidiu et al. (1987) who studied infestations of holly cultivars in container plants that were grown at a nursery in New Jersey. The authors found larvae in galleries at the root collar. Light brown frass was ejected from bark entrances just above the soil line and accumulated in piles on the ground around the root collar. Multiple galleries in the wood were common and up to six with pupal exits were observed on single plants that were 3-4 cm in diameter at the root collar. The galleries were irregular in shape and measured 4-8 mm wide and 5-8 cm long, with most extending 1-2 cm below the soil line and 3-7 cm above it. They were usually kept open and clean and few contained loose frass. The mature larva prepared for adult emergence by cutting a round exit hole 4 mm in diameter and leaving only a thin bark flap as a cap. Pupation occurred head-upward in the gallery and pupal exuviae were observed protruding from the exit holes around the root collar and lower branches during the emergence season. Two males and one female emerged in late-May from plants that were kept outdoors. Egg-laying was not observed, but the larvae from the summer brood presumably overwinter and pupate the following spring, with the life cycle requiring around one year. The older larvae have creamy white bodies, with a dark-brown head and dark-brown spiracles. They grow to 15-21 mm in length.

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Synanthedon kathyae is endemic to eastern North America where it occurs from southern Nova Scotia and Maine southwestward mostly through the Appalachian region and Piedmont to Virginia, eastern Tennessee, western North Carolina, northern Georgia and northeastern Alabama. A disjunct group is present in Louisiana and southeastern Texas, and scattered records also occur for the Atlantic Coastal Plain to as far south as North Carolina. As of 2024, our records are heavily concentrated in the western Piedmont and at lower-elevations sites in the Blue Ridge. We have two additional records from the eastern Piedmont and coast.

County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.


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 observed from April through August in different areas of the range, with the peak seasonal flight typically in June and July. Local populations in North Carolina have a short flight period, with all of our records as of 2024 from June, except for one late-season record from late-July.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Local populations are generally found in mesic or bottomland forests with hollies, as well as in residential neighborhoods with the host plants.

Larval Host Plants: The hosts in the wild are poorly documented. Ghidiu et al. (1987) reported that there were heavy infestations of nursery grown holly cultivars and hybrid varieties at a nursery in New Jersey. American Holly (Ilex opaca) is thought to be an important native host based on its presence where specimens have been taken, but this has yet to be verified. - View

Observation Methods: The diurnally-active adults are occasionally seen resting on vegetation or nectaring on flowers, but are rarely attracted to lights or bait. The adults have been successfully collected using artificial pheromone traps.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for Montane Holly Thickets

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [S2S3]

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 uncommon in North Carolina, but may have been under collected due to its short flight period. Additional information is needed on its host plants, distribution and abundance before we can accurately assess its conservation status within the state.

Photo Gallery for Synanthedon kathyae - Holly Borer Moth

Photos: 15

	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-23 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-23 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-06-23 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Will Bennett on 2025-06-17 Surry Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-12 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-12 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-07 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-07 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Denise Williams on 2022-06-18 Caldwell Co. Comment: CC BY-NC (cropped)		Recorded by: funnystuff2495 on 2022-06-17 Burke Co. Comment: CC BY-NC (cropped)
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-06-28 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-06-28 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-06-28 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-06-26 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-06-26 Madison Co. Comment: