Moths of North Carolina
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
 Family (Alpha):
« »
View PDFSesiidae Members:
Synanthedon Members:
32 NC Records

Synanthedon exitiosa (Say, 1823) - Peachtree Borer Moth

Synanthedon exitiosa
view caption 		Synanthedon exitiosa
view caption 		Synanthedon exitiosa
view caption 		Synanthedon exitiosa
view caption
Taxonomy
Superfamily: Sesioidea Family: SesiidaeSubfamily: SesiinaeTribe: SynanthedoniniP3 Number: 55a0124 MONA Number: 2583.00
Comments: Of the 133 members of the Sesiidae family that occur in North American north of Mexico, 30 have been recorded in North Carolina, with members of the genus Synanthedon making up half of that number. The taxonomy of some groups in this family remains vexing. Sesiids are broadly referred to as clearwing borers.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2018)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Eichlin and Duckworth (1988)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Strongly sexually dimorphic. Male: Thorax shiny bluish-black, with narrow, pale yellow, subdorsal lines. Abdomen shiny bluish-black and proportionally long and thin with narrow to fine, pale yellow rings on the posterior margin of some or all segments (Eichlin & Duckworth, 1988). Rings may not be discernible on worn individuals. Anal tuft long, wedge shaped, black with pale lateral edges (Eichlin & Duckworth, 1988). Forewing hyaline with narrow, black margins and black discal bar; hindwing hyaline with narrow, black margins. Both exhibit a characteristic amber tint (Taft, Smitley, and Snow, 2004). Female: Larger and stouter than male. Thorax shiny bluish-black and unmarked. Abdomen shiny bluish-black and unmarked but for a wide, orange “belt” completely encircling segment 4. Forewing opaque, shiny black, and unmarked. Hindwing hyaline with wide, black margins. Wing length 6-15 mm (Eichlin & Duckworth, 1988).
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Larvae bore beneath bark and cambium of stone fruit trees just below ground level to develop and overwinter. At maturity larvae exit bole and tunnel to near soil surface where they pupate, emerging May-November (Eichlin & Duckworth, 1988; Brown & Mizell, 1993).
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
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
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Forested areas and orchards where host plants are found.
Larval Host Plants: A recognized, destructive pest of peach (Prunus persica), but also attacks other Prunus spp. such as almond, apricot, plum, and cherry (Eichlin & Duckworth, 1988). - View
Observation Methods: Not attracted to lights or bait, but females may be seen around food plants. Males are unlikely to be seen unless lured to traps using synthetic, chemically engineered sex attractants, to which they show a strong affinity (see Taft, Smitley, & Snow, 2004, for list of species-specific pheromone blends).
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 S4S5
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: Given its economic importance, this is among the most-studied of sesiids. It’s a common and widespread species in North Carolina and is easily attracted to pheromone lures. While sample size has been small, DNA barcoding points to S. exitiosa being a complex of about three species (Bo Sullivan, pers. comm.). But until this puzzle is sorted out we treat it as a single species.

 Photo Gallery for Synanthedon exitiosa - Peachtree Borer Moth

Photos: 23

Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-07-11
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2022-08-18
Rockingham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-07-16
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-06-21
Caswell Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-06-09
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Radewicz on 2021-08-05
Orange Co.
Comment: Male
Recorded by: Rob Van Epps on 2020-08-28
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Female		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-06-28
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-08-23
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-07-29
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-06-21
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-05-26
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-05-26
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-09-08
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-07-16
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2018-07-15
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan on 2017-05-08
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2016-08-01
Cabarrus Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: F. Williams, S. Williams on 2014-08-20
Gates Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2012-07-22
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Doug Blatny/Jackie Nelson on 2012-07-03
Ashe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Harry Wilson on 2010-09-02
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jeff Beane on 2010-06-10
Wilkes Co.
Comment: