The Sesiid Moths are members of the Superfamily Sesioidea. Sesiids are small to moderately large (wingspan 1.4-4.6 cm), heavy bodied, diurnal or crepuscular, and almost all species resemble wasps or bees, presumably a nonspecific mimicry that aids vertebrate predator avoidance. This involves not only clear wings and a colorful, banded abdomen, but legs with modified tufts that in some cases have yellow-tipped scales to simulate pollen carried by bees. Larvae are stout, and feed on more than 40 families of flowering plants, with no strong preference for one. They bore in stems, bark, and roots, or in galls caused by other insects.
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Description of Sesiidae
The Sesiid Moths are members of the Superfamily Sesioidea. Sesiids are small to moderately large (wingspan 1.4-4.6 cm), heavy bodied, diurnal or crepuscular, and almost all species resemble wasps or bees, presumably a nonspecific mimicry that aids vertebrate predator avoidance. This involves not only clear wings and a colorful, banded abdomen, but legs with modified tufts that in some cases have yellow-tipped scales to simulate pollen carried by bees. Larvae are stout, and feed on more than 40 families of flowering plants, with no strong preference for one. They bore in stems, bark, and roots, or in galls caused by other insects.