Species Details

Podosesia syringae

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum Read more about this collection »

Common NameThe Ash Borer SeasonalityAdults are on the wing in Alberta in late June and July. IdentificationA rather large (2.5-3.3 cm wingspan) diurnal long-winged wasp-like moth. The head and body is brown-black, with paler yellow or whitish markings on the lateral side of the segments giving it a somewhat banded appearance. The legs are long and mostly orange, with narrow dark bands at the joints. The forewings are opaque, olive brown with rusty orange powdering on the veins, in particular near the base. The basal half of the forewings are very narrow and mostly without scales. Hindwings hyaline (unscaled) except for the veins, which are dark brown and rusty-red, and a narrow rusty-orange terminal line and olive-brown fringe. Sexes similar. The large size and opaque forewings will separate the ash borer from other Alberta clearwing moths.

Scientific Name Podosesia syringae Common Name The Ash Borer Habitat Shelterbelt and urban plantings of ash and lilac. Seasonality Adults are on the wing in Alberta in late June and July. Identification
A rather large (2.5-3.3 cm wingspan) diurnal long-winged wasp-like moth. The head and body is brown-black, with paler yellow or whitish markings on the lateral side of the segments giving it a somewhat banded…
A rather large (2.5-3.3 cm wingspan) diurnal long-winged wasp-like moth. The head and body is brown-black, with paler yellow or whitish markings on the lateral side of the segments giving it a somewhat banded appearance. The legs are long and mostly orange, with narrow dark bands at the joints. The forewings are opaque, olive brown with rusty orange powdering on the veins, in particular near the base. The basal half of the forewings are very narrow and mostly without scales. Hindwings hyaline (unscaled) except for the veins, which are dark brown and rusty-red, and a narrow rusty-orange terminal line and olive-brown fringe. Sexes similar. The large size and opaque forewings will separate the ash borer from other Alberta clearwing moths.
Life History
Females lay eggs in wounds or crevices in the bark of green ash and lilac.. The boring larvae feed in the bark the first summer, move into the wood the following season, and emerge the third year. The fully-grown…
Females lay eggs in wounds or crevices in the bark of green ash and lilac.. The boring larvae feed in the bark the first summer, move into the wood the following season, and emerge the third year. The fully-grown larvae are about 2.5 cm long, with cream colored bodies and a brown head and thoracic shield. Adults are best captured with pheromone traps.
Conservation A widespread and common moth; in some areas a serious pest on ash plantings. Diet Info Mainly Ash (Fraxinus sp.); also lilac (Syrniga). Range Nova Scotia west to central Alberta, south to Colorado, Texas and Florida, with a disjunct (?) population in California. In Alberta found north and west to Edmonton.

Citation

Page Citation for Podosesia syringae

Page Citation

"Species Details - Podosesia syringae, University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum." University of Alberta Museums Search Site, https://search.museums.ualberta.ca/g/2-4911. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Authorship

Name Anweiler, G. G.
Role species page author
Date 2003-04-01

References

Specimen Information

There are 2 specimens of this Species.

2 results plotted on map in 2 markers.
Note: Only records with latitude and longitude coordinates are plotted on map.

UASM49595 - Podosesia syringae

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Edmonton Collected ByAnweiler, G. G. Date Collected1998-06-02

UASM99835 - Podosesia syringae

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Edmonton Collected ByAnweiler, G. G. Date Collected2009-06-25

Adult Seasonal Distribution