Thyreodon Atricolor

August 19, 2025

A remarkable insect resembling a Common Thread-waisted Wasp (Ammophila procera), but BIG! This is an insect that is difficult to find anything about, there’s very little out there. It doesn’t even have a common name.

Say, “Hello!” to Thyreodon atricolor. That’s its scientific name. It was quite active as I tried to get a picture. I didn’t have time to put something beside it for scale, but it really struck me that this is an insect that is quite large, perhaps 1.5 inches long. It has a black body, four black wings, and orange antennae.

The larval host of Thyreodon atricolor are caterpillars of Sphinx Moths. As adults it is believed they might feed on nectar, plant sap and honeydew. And perhaps decaying vegetable and animal matter. 

_______________________

If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!

Published by

Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.

2 thoughts on “Thyreodon Atricolor”

  1. Very cool! I’m loving the hummingbird moths we’re seeing this year. Half brown, half black. Delightful!

    1. Hi Ann! Aren’t the Hummingbird Moths amazing and beautiful creatures? I love seeing them. So many things in nature entertain me!

      So very glad that you read my posts, and send me messsages about them! 🙂
      Bren

Comments are closed.