Melittia oedipus, the African vine borer, is a moth of the family Sesiidae. It originates from Africa (where it is known from Equatorial Guinea, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Kenya), but has been introduced in Hawaii to control ivy gourd (Coccinia grandis).
Melittia oedipus | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Sesiidae |
Genus: | Melittia |
Species: | M. oedipus |
Binomial name | |
Melittia oedipus Oberthür, 1878[1] | |
Synonyms | |
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The wingspan is 10–15 mm.
The larvae feed on Coccinia grandis.
Taxon identifiers |
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