Pest & Termite Control Blog

The Moth Species That Mimics Bees Can Be Vicious

Like all organisms, insects have adapted to their environments by developing features that favor their survival. For example, there are plenty of insects that have evolved to blend in with surrounding foliage in order to hide from predators. These camouflaged insects may not be predatory, but their physical features allow for the continuation of their species. Stick insects and praying mantises are both good examples of insects that are easily camouflaged within their natural environments, but praying mantises are predatory, unlike stick insects. In addition to camoflauge, some insect species indulge in mimicry in order to survive. These insects are naturally timid and not very aggressive in the face of enemy attacks. These non-predatory insects owe their survival to the fact that they appear to be the type of insects that are predatory. Some species of moth have evolved to look almost exactly like certain bee species. Normally these timid moths would be hunted and killed constantly, but their resemblance to bees deters predators from attacking them.

In order to live long enough to reproduce, several species of day flying moths have evolved to look like bees. These moths don’t just bear a passing resemblance to bees, as these moths possess nearly all of the superficial features that can be observed on bees. For example, much like bees, these moths possess a furry black and yellow exterior, thickened antennae that often appear elbowed and four wings. However, a sharp-eyed entomologist would be able to discern between bees and bee mimics by focusing on the moth’s legs and mouth. Moth legs are very slender, and unlike many bee species, they lack a pollen basket. Moths also possess long mouthparts that are often even longer than their bodies. When looking at the moths that mimic bees, these mouthparts can be seen coiled under the moth’s head, but it lengthens when the moth feeds. The clear winged Sphinx moth is the most well known bee mimic.

Do you think that some predatory insect species can see through the moth’s bee disguise?

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Most people can name at least one type of insect pest species, as insect pests damage to crops and other forms of plant life are by no means uncommon. The most talked-about insect pests are usually the ones that damage crops and trees. For example, scientists have been struggling to control emerald ash borer populations in America. The emerald ash borer is not considered a pest in its native Asia, but after arriving in the United States, this insect became an invasive insect species capable of destroying trees more rapidly than most other insect pest species. There are not many groups of insect pests that are globally distributed; and similar to emerald ash borers, a particular insect pest in one region may not be considered a pest in another region. However, sawflies happen to be one group of insects that are distributed around the world, and they are categorized as insect pests in every region that they inhabit. Very few people have heard of sawflies, which is surprising considering how common they are. Sawflies also belong to one of the most well known insect orders–Hymenoptera. The Hymenoptera order of insects include bees, wasps and ants.

Most sawfly species are herbivores, and they get their name for their saw-shaped mouthparts. These mouthparts are used to cut slits into plant stems or leaves. Female sawflies then deposit their eggs into plants through these slits, keeping the eggs safe from predators. Not surprisingly, this process can cause significant damage to trees and smaller plants.

Sawflies are a large group of insects that comprise around eight thousand species. Around fifty five hundred of these species belong to the Tenthredinidae family. Researchers believe that sawflies are the oldest insects that belong to the Hymenoptera order. Sawflies date back two hundred and fifty million years, making them active during the Triassic period. This is why sawflies are one of the most diverse insect species in existence today. Also, many sawfly species are parthenogenetic, meaning females can reproduce asexually. This makes male sawflies a rarity, and some species may not even contain males at all anymore. Sawflies are not considered the most damaging of insect pests, but they are certainly one of the oldest and most widely distributed of all insect pests.

Have you ever spotted a sawfly during your lifetime? If you have, did the specimen possess a saw-like ovipositor?

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