52.007 Synanthedon cuculiformis (Large Red-belted Clearwing)
ws: 22-25mm (MBGBI2), fw: 12-14mm (Waring & Townsend); May-Jun; birch (Betula spp); NS-B - locally throughout GB
Comes (if your lucky) to CUL lure, peak 2-4pm
Comes (if your lucky) to CUL lure, peak 2-4pm
Synanthedon cuculiformis (Large Red-belted Clearwing) §1 male
ID: Broad red band on abdominal S4; reddish scales at base of forewing; labial palps red ventrally. 2 other Synanthedon species show a red abdominal band, both are smaller (fw 9-11mm): S.formicaeformis (Red-tipped Clearwing) has an extensive patch of red scales at the forewing tip; S.myopaeformis (Red-belted Clearwing) has the upper surface* of the forewing entirely black and the labial palps are whitish ventrally in the male.
* Waring and Townsend is potentially misleading in stating that S.myopaeformis has "uniformly black forewing markings" - the underside of the forewing in this species is extensively marked with orange-red scales, only the upper surface is uniformly black.
* Waring and Townsend is potentially misleading in stating that S.myopaeformis has "uniformly black forewing markings" - the underside of the forewing in this species is extensively marked with orange-red scales, only the upper surface is uniformly black.
Dissection
Male genitalia
Female genitalia
§1 Buxton Heath, Norfolk; 26/05/2018; male; to CUL lure
All images © Chris Lewis
All images © Chris Lewis
Page published 28/05/2018 (§1) - dissection images added 27/06/2018
