South American Clearwing Moth vs Common Swift Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute South American Clearwing Moth Common Swift Moth
Scientific Name Carmenta theobromae Korscheltellus lupulina
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Sesiidae Hepialidae
Size 18-25 mm wingspan 25-38 mm wingspan
Habitat Farmland Gardens
Diet Omnivores Root Feeders
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.

Common Swift Moth

A small brownish moth with faint white streaks that emerges in large numbers in early summer evenings. Its underground larvae are a pest of lawns, crops, and garden plants.

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Did You Know?

Females scatter eggs randomly in flight, letting them fall into grass rather than placing them on specific plants.