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black. The body is black with one pale yellow ring, 
the head black, thorax black, and tail-tuft black; the 
antennae, which are also black, have a pale yellowish 
rather broad bar on their upper side near the top. 
Localities for this species are Langwith near York, 
Burton-on-Trent, Manchester, the New Forest (?), and 
woods near London (?). 
The dates of the appearance of the perfect insect are 
the end of May and the beginning of June, and on to 
July. 
The caterpillar feeds inside the stems of the alder, 
and also, it is said, the birch. 
SESIA ASILIFORMIS. 
Plate YI. Figure 7. 
This fly measures from one inch to nearly an inch and 
a quarter in width. Male: front wings dark blackish 
brown with a blue tint, inclining to be transparent towards 
the base. Hind wings transparent, with dark blackish 
brown fringes. The body, which is bluish black, has five 
yellow rings, the two intermediate ones very slender, the 
antennae are pectinated. The head and thorax bluish 
black, with a yellow collar, and a stripe of the same 
on the side of the latter. The tail-tuft black, with two 
streaks of yellow lengthwise. 
The body of the female has three yellow rings. 
A locality for this species is Epping, but it is also 
said to have been taken in woods in Surrey, Kent, and 
Middlesex, and near London. 
The date of the appearance of the perfect insect is 
in June. 
The date of the appearance of the caterpillar is in 
April. 
