Bee Mimicking Moth

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Bee Mimicking Moth

Bee Mimicking Moth

This moth (I think) appears to be mimicking a bee. If anyone knows what it is, I'd like to know. It was maybe 3/4 inch long. Photo taken below Rainbow Lake. August 2008
mrh
on Mar 27, 2009 9:31 pm
Image ID: 501627

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Marcsoltan

Marcsoltan - Mar 30, 2009 5:43 pm - Voted 10/10

Never seen

anything like it!
Wonder what evolutionary reason there may have been behind it!
Great find.

mrh

mrh - Mar 31, 2009 11:29 am - Hasn't voted

Re: Never seen

I don't know. Maybe just some mechanism to ward off typical moth predators?

ArankaP

ArankaP - Mar 30, 2009 10:08 pm - Voted 10/10

I checked the google site

Riley's Clearwing Moth (Synanthedon rileyana) looks close. Nice photo.

mrh

mrh - Mar 31, 2009 11:32 am - Hasn't voted

Re: I checked the google site

Yes, I've been doing some searching too and Synanthedon rileyana or some other critter of that genus looks pretty close. But look at Pennisetia marginatum. I'll probably have to send the photo to an entomologist who will probably tell me they need a specimen. Both Synanthedom and Pennisetia seem to be agricultural pests. I don't know if that fits with this guy being at 7,000 feet in the subalpines of Idaho.

ArankaP

ArankaP - Mar 31, 2009 6:07 pm - Voted 10/10

Re: I checked the google site

I can't believe, 96 different types of the Pennisetia on one web page.

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