Melittia doddi

Melittia doddi Le Cerf, 1916
(erroneously: Phlogothauma oberthueri)
SESIINAE, SESIIDAE, SESIOIDEA

Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

female, drawing by Ferdinand Le Cerf,
Contributions à l'étude des Aegeriidae, in Charles Oberthür: Étude de Lépidoptèrologie comparée,
Fasc. 14 (1916), Plate CCCLXXIV, fig. 3120,
image courtesy of Biodiversity Heritage Library, digitized by Smithsonian Libraries.

The adult moths of this species have transparent wings with dark brown margins and veins. The head is dark brown. The thorax is rusty brown on top and white underneath.

male, drawing by Ferdinand Le Cerf,
Contributions à l'étude des Aegeriidae, in Charles Oberthür: Étude de Lépidoptèrologie comparée,
Fasc. 14 (1916), Plate CCCLXXIII, fig. 3119,
image courtesy of Biodiversity Heritage Library, digitized by Smithsonian Libraries.

The abdomen is black with narrow yellow bands on top, and entirely yellow underneath. There are a large yellow and black tufts of hair on the hindlegs of the female. There are a large tufts of black hairs on the hindlegs of the male, with some yellow tufts. The wingspan is about 3 cms.

underside, female, drawing by Ferdinand Le Cerf,
Contributions à l'étude des Aegeriidae, in Charles Oberthür: Étude de Lépidoptèrologie comparée,
Fasc. 14 (1916), Plate CCCLXXIV, fig. 3120,
image courtesy of Biodiversity Heritage Library, digitized by Smithsonian Libraries.

The species occurs in Australia in

Queensland.

underside, male, drawing by Ferdinand Le Cerf,
Contributions à l'étude des Aegeriidae, in Charles Oberthür: Étude de Lépidoptèrologie comparée,
Fasc. 14 (1916), Plate CCCLXXIII, fig. 3119,
image courtesy of Biodiversity Heritage Library, digitized by Smithsonian Libraries.