South American Clearwing Moth vs Black Sedge

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute South American Clearwing Moth Black Sedge
Scientific Name Carmenta theobromae Silo nigricornis
Order Lepidoptera Trichoptera
Family Sesiidae Goeridae
Size 18-25 mm wingspan 7-9 mm body
Habitat Farmland Rivers & Streams
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela Europe
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

South American Clearwing Moth

A small wasp-mimicking clearwing moth with transparent wings and a banded black-and-yellow abdomen. It is a significant pest of cacao trees in South America.

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Did You Know?

Its resemblance to a stinging wasp is so convincing that even experienced entomologists sometimes mistake it for one in the field.

Black Sedge

A caddisfly whose larvae build heavy cases from sand grains cemented with silk. Found in clean, stony streams. Cases have lateral flanges of larger stones for ballast.

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Did You Know?

Larval cases have added flanges of larger stones that act as ballast, preventing the case from being swept away.