I found two of these bugs on a Clematis a couple of days ago and am wondering if any of you can help me figure out what they might be...?? It's hard to tell from the picture but they were pretty fuzzy, not smooth like you'd expect wasps to be. I don't even know if their stinger was real or if it was simply meant to look like a stinger. Any ideas??
This is a moth in the family Sesiidae, possibly a western poplar clearwing (Paranthrene robiniae) - see http://tinyurl.com/274bw88 for an image. This family contains dozens of species that are excellent wasp mimics that not only look like, but also act like wasps. Their larvae primarily are borers in plant tissues. Every gardener's favorite, the squash vine borer, belongs to this family.
