Bug FAQRaspberry Crown Borer
Pennisetia marginatum · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Sesiidae
Also called: Raspberry Crown Borer Moth
Source: Wikipedia
The raspberry crown borer is a clearwing moth with a wingspan of about 20 to 35 mm. It is common in the eastern United States, along the Pacific Coast, and into southern Canada, and it has been introduced to Hawaii. Its two-year life cycle includes larvae that feed on Rubus species by boring into the plant’s rootstock and crowns.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Pennisetia marginata, known as the raspberry crown borer, belongs to the clearwing moth family Sesiidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults have a wingspan ranging from 20 to 35 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
The species has also been introduced to Hawaii.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on plants in the Rubus genus, such as raspberries and blackberries.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The complete life cycle usually takes two years, though some individuals finish in one year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active and fly from July through September, and they are day-time fliers.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes the United States and southern parts of Canada. It is an introduced species in Hawaii.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 40 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Oregon, Washington, Michigan, Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Vermont.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What plants does the raspberry crown borer damage?
Its larvae bore into the roots and crowns of raspberry and blackberry plants, harming the plants.
Source: Wikipedia
How long does the raspberry crown borer’s life cycle take?
The life cycle normally spans two years, though some complete it in a single year.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Sesiidae)
Purplish CopperLycaena helloides
Squash Vine BorerEichlinia cucurbitaeDamages trees, gardens or crops
Bronze CopperLycaena hyllus
Maple Callus Borer MothSynanthedon acerniDamages trees, gardens or crops
Southern Red RimBiblis hyperia
Peachtree Borer MothSynanthedon exitiosaDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennisetia_marginata
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.