What to do if a hawk moth butterfly appears in the garden: photo, are butterflies and their caterpillars dangerous for the harvest. Description and photo of the caterpillar of the wine hawk. Who is the hawk maker?

Those who first meet this amazing insect often confuse it with a miniature hummingbird, in fact, this is an ordinary butterfly of the hawk family. But you can't argue with the fact that there really is something similar in their appearance and habits.

The family of hawk moths has more than 1000 different species, mostly nocturnal creatures, but some are more active at dusk, while others only during the day.

The hawk moths are widespread all over the world, for the most part they are large butterflies with a muscular dense body, narrow wings and a long proboscis, thanks to which they can feast on nectar in flight, pollinating the flowers at the same time. But there are species whose adults do not feed at all. Their mouth apparatus is underdeveloped, and the food that the caterpillar ate during its short life is enough for them to reproduce. The speed that these butterflies can develop reaches 50 km / h.

The most common in our latitudes is the bedstraw hawk moth, it is he who can most often be found in flower beds.

The largest member of the family, the hawk moth, has a "dead head" wingspan of up to 12 cm. Its distinctive feature is a pattern on the back, somewhat reminiscent of a skull. Actually, because of him, the butterfly received such a gloomy name. But other species are no less interesting. So, for example, the wine hawk boasts a beautiful purple color, and the oleander one is painted in different shades of green.

The hawk moth caterpillars are quite large in size, usually have a bright color and a small colored spike on the back of the body, which is hidden under the skin and appears in case of danger.

It is no coincidence that the hawk moth has a second name - the hummingbird butterfly. Many types of amazing insects from the Lepidoptera family are listed in the Red Book. Photos of "northern hummingbirds" are always admirable: these creatures are so unusual and bright.

A hawk moth butterfly in the garden - is it for good or for the loss of part of the crop? Not all owners know what to expect from an unusual creature. It is important to remember that the large caterpillars of the exotic butterfly are as voracious as the smaller ones. But it is not worth destroying a rare species. Find out more interesting facts about the life of unusual creatures.

general information

The hawk moths are amazing insects: outwardly, adults resemble hummingbirds. Some species of moth flies only during the day, others are active at night or in the morning. When an unusual creature with an original body color and wings appears in the garden or vegetable garden, many owners do not understand what kind of butterflies it is.

Characteristics:

• the size of adult insects is up to 110 mm, the proboscis is up to 100 mm long, the wingspan is from 65 to 120 mm;
• flight speed is impressive - up to 50 km / h;
• hummingbird butterflies hover over flowers, flutter, quickly flap their wings, feed on sweet nectar;
• the full cycle of transformation is characteristic of unusual creatures. First, an egg appears, then a larva (caterpillar), then a pupa, and finally, an adult (butterfly). The life cycle takes from 30 to 45 days; during the summer period, two generations of amazing creatures are often replaced;
• the emergence of adult insects begins at the end of June. Bright creatures look spectacular against the backdrop of young greenery. Butterflies flutter around flowering trees and bushes: pears, apple trees, chestnuts, lilacs;
• caterpillars are large - up to 125 mm, most species have a bright color, an original pattern on the back and sides is often noticeable. Some species are painted in fantastic colors: green with a lemon tint, white with black and yellow spots on the sides, brownish gray with "painted" eyes in the front of the body. Growing individuals look like creatures from another planet;
• a characteristic feature of the caterpillars is the "horn" at the end. The color of the formation depends on the type of butterfly, for example, in the lilac hawk moth it is black on one side and yellow on the other, in the ocellated variety it is blue;
• before pupation, the color of the growing insect changes. During this period of development, the caterpillar accumulates enough nutrients, after which it buries itself in the ground. After 18 days, a beautiful butterfly emerges from the pupa. While the wings are drying, the insect sits in place, as soon as it can fly, the hummingbird butterfly goes to look for a sexual partner to maintain the population;

A few more facts:

• a caterpillar is a creature, soft to the touch, calm, crawling rather slowly. If you take it in hand, then unpleasant sensations or disgust do not appear. The growing individual sits quietly in the palm of the hand, moves slowly, willingly "poses" for the camera.
• caterpillars feed on young leaves. A wine hawk eats greens, settles on a vine. The larva is large, warlike, with a peculiar thorn at the end. The creature is so unusual that many owners do not destroy the pests, but watch them, hoping to endure an unpleasant period, later to see a beautiful hummingbird butterfly on the site;
• The tongue hawk moth resembles a small bird. When a beautiful creature appears at their summer cottage, many children say that they saw an unusual bird next to flowers;
• the hawk moth "death's head" got its name because of the characteristic pattern on the chest, similar to a skull, like the emblem on a pirate flag. The largest moth moth species feeds on sap of young trees and honey. The insect often climbs directly into the hive, makes sounds reminiscent of a young queen, steals honey without hindrance: the bees take it for a relative and do not touch it;
• the bedstraw species is most often found in the middle lane. Long proboscis, dense body, color - a combination of brown and beige, orange patches are noticeable on the tips of the wings.

Unusual insects are often called sphinxes. The reason is that the disturbed caterpillar lifts the front part, takes on a menacing look, freezes in the sphinx position. Hence the name.

Types of hawk moths:

• euphorbia;
• wine;
• pine;
• hawk moth "dead head";
• ocellated;
• oleander;
• bindweed;
• lilac;
• proboscis hawk and others.

On a note! The planet is home to about 1000 species of "northern hummingbirds". Some species make long-distance flights, migrate from one end of the country to the other, or cover the distance between continents.

Reasons for the appearance

Hummingbird butterflies are attracted to the garden by beautiful flowers with fragrant nectar: ​​insects feed on the sweet mass. The more variety of trees, shrubs, berry and vegetable crops a caring owner has, the higher is the food supply for caterpillars and adults. The wine hawk lives in the vineyards. Large butterflies often fly into the apiary.

Caterpillars eat greens. Large creatures actively gnaw the leaves of viburnum, lilac, willow, potatoes, dope, jasmine.

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Are hawk moth butterflies dangerous?

A large lepidopteran insect is quite rare in the garden, it does not cause much damage to the crop. More often "northern hummingbirds" live in forests, flutter next to flower beds. Insects are useful - they pollinate plants. There is no particular harm from caterpillars - they eat young leaves, the plant has time to recover.

A large number of individuals is an exceptional case, because the hawk moth belongs to the category of rare butterflies. Do not destroy insects: it is better to carefully catch an unusual creature, take it to the forest, meadow or park.

Many summer residents are lost when large caterpillars appear: “horned” creatures very rarely enter the site. After finding out what kind of creature it is, many gardeners regularly observe the life of an unusual creature, often filming videos about large caterpillars.

Despite the formidable appearance, growing insects are harmless enough. Yes, they eat the leaves of viburnum, jasmine, potatoes, dope, but there are not so many hawk moths in nature, and the destruction of hummingbird butterflies or caterpillars is a wrong act.

A hawk butterfly in the garden is a great success for the owner. A person gets a unique opportunity to observe a rare species listed both in the Regional Red Data Books and in the Russian Red Data Books. The harm from eating young leaves is incomparable with the positive emotions that are certainly manifested in everyone who sees the miracle of nature. Insects pollinate flowers and simply decorate the world around them.

More information about moth butterflies can be found in the following video:

A hawk moth is a butterfly that belongs to the type of arthropods, the class insects, the order Lepidoptera, the silkworm superfamily, the hawthorn family, or sphinxes (lat. Sphingidae). Popular names: "northern hummingbird" or "hummingbird butterfly".

The meaning of the word, or why the butterfly was called a hawk moth

The hawk moth is so heavy that not every flower can support its weight. Therefore, he does not sit on the corolla, but lowers the long proboscis into the nectary and sucks out the fragrant liquid in flight. Flying from one feeding trough to another, the hawk moth becomes heavier and sways from side to side like a drunken man. Those who get drunk are called hawkers among the common people. For this similarity, the butterfly got its name.

The name "Sphinxes" ( Sphingidae) appropriated to this family by Karl Linnaeus in 1758, probably because the disturbed hawk moth caterpillar bends the front of the body, becoming like a sphinx. Perhaps the famous taxonomist reflected in the name the fact that the life of almost all hawk moths is hidden from outside observers.

The gluttonous fast-growing larva of the tobacco hawk moth (lat. Manduca sexta) is poisonous, she eats nicotine-rich tobacco leaves and the toxin accumulates in her body. Frightening off birds, this caterpillar, in addition to warning coloring, butts, spits, bites and makes threatening sounds.

Bindweed larva (lat. Agrius convolvuli) 12.5 cm long lives on a field bindweed. Despite the fact that it hides during the day, it is easy to spot it from the large droppings left on the plant.

Caterpillar of the North American hawk moth (lat. Erinyis allo) eats milkweed leaves, which the locals have nicknamed "the malevolent woman." The plant is nicknamed for its protection against leaf-eating insects. He, like nettles, has stinging cells on his body that bite into the skin of enemies and cause them pain. But the hawk moth caterpillar has adapted to this peculiarity of the milkweed. She gently taps the leaves before starting her meal. So it provokes the release of stinging cells and makes the leaves safe.

A dead head hawk maker steals honey from bees in hives and, what is most strange, often leaves there alive and well-fed. The quiet creaking sounds emitted by the butterfly, reminiscent of the uterus, hypnotize the swarm of bees. The dense pubescence of the body also saves her from being bitten. She does not eat much honey, so it does not harm the hive. The caterpillars of this hawk moth develop on dope, potatoes, euonymus, raspberries, jasmine, and tomatoes.

The hawk moth pupa is 45 mm long, light brown, with dark specks and transverse stripes. Since mid-August, it lies on the ground in a dense cocoon. The wintering of a wine hawk often ends with its death due to the fact that the pupa is located on the surface, and not in the ground.

The wingspan of an adult is 60-70 mm. The upper wings are olive green with a wide purple-pink stripe on the outer edge and two pink oblique bands on the surface. The lower wings are pink with a black base. The body is olive green above. Back with longitudinal pink lines. Wine hawk moths fly at dusk. The wine hawk visits honeysuckle, feeds on the nectar of its flowers.

• Tobacco hawk moth (lat. Manduca sexta) lives in the tropical regions of the New World (America), in the temperate zone up to Massachusetts in the USA, as well as in Jamaica, the Antilles and Galapagos Islands. In the tropics, 3-4 generations of tobacco hawk moth change during the year, in the temperate zone - only 2.

The caterpillar feeds on the leaves of plants of the nightshade family: potatoes, tobacco, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants. It pupates in the ground at a depth of 10-15 cm.

The brown pupa, 4-6 cm long, has an elongated shape with a pronounced maxillary loop.

The wingspan of the imago reaches 100 mm. The antennae of the tobacco hawk moth are long. Red or yellow squares are visible on the abdomen.

• Hawk moth (lat.Smerinthus ocellatus ) Is a butterfly that inhabits Europe, Asia and North Africa. Active at dusk and at night. Lives in deciduous and mixed forests, gardens and parks. The moth caterpillars develop on linden, alder, maple, lilac, birch, willow, poplar, blackthorn, pear, apple and plum.

Eggs 1.5 mm in diameter, shiny, greenish-gray, round. They are located on the underside of the leaves singly or in groups of 10.

The green or greenish-blue with a yellow tinge caterpillar of the ocellated hawk moth reaches a size of 70-75 mm. It is dotted with white oblique stripes and dots. The spiracles are enclosed in red rings. Pupation occurs at the end of July.

Pupae 40 mm long are located in the ground at a depth of 3 cm.

Butterflies with a wingspan of 60-75 mm are almost invisible during rest. They defend themselves from attack by revealing the ocellated pattern of the lower wings. The upper wings are gray-ash with red-violet edging and a pattern of wavy lines and dark strokes. In the butterfly stage, the ocellated hawk moth does not feed.

• Poplar hawk moth (lat.Laothoe populi ) found in the temperate zone of Asia and Western Europe. During the year, 2 generations of these insects are replaced.

The butterfly places round and green eggs singly or in groups of 5-6 pcs. on willow, poplar, aspen, ash and linden.

Larvae 60-75 mm long are completely green or with a lilac tint, with a sharp and straight "horn". On the sides of the caterpillar's body there is a pattern of yellow oblique stripes and dots of white and yellow color. The pattern is often complemented by several rows of round red spots.

Pupae, brown with a black bloom, up to 40 mm long are in the soil at a depth of 5 cm.There, transformation takes place, that is, transformation into a butterfly.

The wingspan of the imago is 65-100 mm. Adult butterflies are active at dusk and at night. Their upper wings are cream or gray with a red or yellow tint. They are "applied" with a pattern of dark stripes and winding lines. There is a long notch on the lower edge of the wings. The lower wings are overgrown with red hairs along the entire plane, and their edge is provided with notches.

• Linden hawk moth (lat.Mimas tiliae ) - a resident of the Caucasus and Asia Minor, Europe and Western Siberia, Northern Iran and Kazakhstan. Prefers to settle in floodplain meadows, mixed and deciduous forests.

Eggs with a diameter of 1.5 mm, round-flattened, greenish-gray in color.

Different colors can be combined in the coloring of the caterpillars. The moth larvae are green with light oblique lines on the sides and a yellow stroke on the last segment of the body. The caterpillar's cuticle has a granular structure, and the rims of the spiracles are colored red. The "horn" is more often blue, less often green, with a coarsely granular anal shield at the base. The length of the larva is 50-60 mm, it feeds on linden, birch, alder, oak, aspen.

A dark brown pupa, 30-35 mm in size, develops in moss or in the ground, starting in August. There are 2 spines at the top of the pupa capsule.

The metamorphosis and active life of butterflies begins in June, leaving until July. The distance between the edges of the open wings of the imago is 60-75 mm. At this stage, the linden hawk moth does not feed. The butterfly's camouflaging wings are reddish or yellow with a wide green border, a dark stripe and a projection along the outer edge. Frightening wings are yellow-brown with darkening along the edge. There are varieties of hawk moth with brownish-pink wings.

• An ordinary language, or bolshobotnik star-shaped (lat.Makroglossum stellatarum ) - a butterfly of the family of hawk moths. Lives in North Africa, in the temperate zone of the Far East, Siberia and Europe, in Japan, Minor and Central Asia. It is rarely found in the forest belt: here you can see only individual migratory individuals.

The female lays round, pale green eggs.

The 45 cm larva feeds on the greens of the bedstraw and madder. It is soft green, and its sides are adorned with yellow specks and white lines.

Light brown pupae of this species of hawk moth lie on the surface of the soil. On the sides, in places corresponding to the wings, and around the pupal spiracles, dark spots are visible.

Butterflies with a wingspan of 40-45 mm appear at the end of June and continue to fly out until autumn. These hawk moths are active during the day, often drinking phlox nectar. Their front wings are brown or gray and have 2 sinuous stripes. The hindwings are orange or yellow, with a border along the outer edge. A small body with white dots on the sides, gray on top.

• Bumblebee honeysuckle, or hawthorn honeysuckle (lat.Hemaris fuciformis ) - a butterfly common in the temperate zone of the Far East, Siberia, Europe, with the exception of Ireland and Scotland. Common in North Africa, Kazakhstan, Central and Asia Minor, in the Caucasus.

The round, greenish-gray and shiny bumblebee eggs are 1 mm in diameter.

Caterpillars 40-45 mm long on the top and sides are green, brown below, with contrasting rings around the spiracles and a curved "horn". Develop on honeysuckle (lat. Lonicera), madder (lat. Rubia). In case of danger, they fall to the ground.

Pupae about 25 mm long, dark brown, almost black, in a silk cocoon. From the end of June they lie among the remains of plants and their roots.

Adults fly during the day, in June and early July. Their wingspan is 38-45 mm. The surface of the front and rear wings of butterflies has large "windows" devoid of scales. From this, the wings of the insect look almost transparent, like those of Hymenoptera. Butterflies of this species are similar to the bumblebee scabiosa, but the border on the wings is wider, and there is a dark spot in the center of the fore wing. The chest is covered with greenish-yellow hairs. Abdomen with reddish-yellow and black bands.

• Bumblebee scabiosa, or scabiosa hawk moth (lat.Hemaris tityus ) , depending on the region - a rare or endangered species. The hawk moth lives in Europe, Western and Central Asia, Siberia and North Africa. Lives in Kazakhstan, Iran, China, Russia, Ukraine. Occurs on forest edges, forest clearings, open woodlands, in ravines with shrub thickets and in meadows. In favorable years, it can give 2 generations.

Hawk moth eggs are pale green, shiny, rounded.

Caterpillars are similar to developing individuals of the honeysuckle bumblebee, but the bottom of their body has less darkening, and the "horn" is not curved. The length of the larvae is 50 mm. They develop from May to August on grasses and tree-shrub species: scabiosa, sverbyg, bedstraw, tease, honeysuckle.

Pupae 24-27 mm long, black-brown, in a cocoon. They lie shallow in the soil or among the grass.

The scabiosa hawk moth emerges from the pupa in May-June. Its wingspan is 18-22 cm. The wings of a newly born butterfly have brown scales, which are soon lost from contact with air. The surface of the wings becomes transparent, only the outer edges are surrounded by a dark border. The hawk moths eat the nectar of flowers and fly in clear weather during the day.

• Clanis wavy (lat.Clanis undulosa ) Is a night hawk moth, a visitor from the subtropics, living in the Primorsky Territory of Russia. Here it was listed in the Red Book as an endangered, endangered species. It is protected in the Far East Marine and Kedrovaya Pad nature reserves. His usual places of life are Northern Thailand, China, Korea, North India.

The clanis egg is 2-2.5 mm in diameter, white or slightly yellowish, shiny with a beige tint, oval in shape.

The larva develops on plants of the legume family, the genus Lespedets.

A pupa 50 mm in size forms and hibernates in the soil.

The butterfly appears in July-August, flies out at night after 4 o'clock. She can easily be lured into the light. The distance between the edges of the spread wings of the wavy clanis is 10-13 cm. On the body and wings of the butterfly there is a lilac-reddish tint. To the lower half and to the base of the wings, its tone becomes darker. Against the general background of the upper wings, a brownish-brown pattern consisting of a transverse line and a wedge-shaped spot on the upper edge of the wing. The lower wings have a dark spot at the base, with bright margins and indistinct stripes in the caudal part.

Reproduction of hawk moths

The hawk moth is an insect with complete transformation, and the following stages are present in its life cycle:

• egg (5-10 days),
• larva (caterpillar) (from 17 days to 1.5 months),
• pupa (from 10-33 days to 2-3 years),
• imago (from a couple of days to 2-3 weeks and longer).

Taken from the site: entomology.unl.edu

Depending on the length of daylight hours, hawk moths can give from 1 to 3 generations per year. In May-June, adults emerge from pupae, and their breeding season immediately begins. In favorable years, the third generation of hawk moths develops until October.

An important role in the reproduction of moths is played by attractants (pheromones) - these are odorous substances produced by animals to attract sexual partners. The female hawk moths synthesize them with glands located between the 8th and 9th segments of the abdomen. The male, with the help of large antennae, catches even a small amount of these substances in the air and determines the location of the female. He can smell his partner at a distance of several kilometers. There are other signs of the female's readiness for reproduction: her abdomen thickens, and in flight she begins to emit characteristic low sounds.

The least demanding temperature during mating is the ocellated hawk. Fertilization in this species successfully occurs even at a temperature of + 4 ° C. Mating of hawk moths begins at night and often continues throughout the next daylight hours. Less often, it ends in the course of one night or lasts about half an hour. As a result, the female receives not only semen, but also the necessary nutrients: proteins and trace elements. The next day, she already lays eggs, placing them singly or in groups on the lower or upper part of the leaves of the caterpillar forage plant. The postponement continues for the next 2-3 nights. During their life, females of ocellated and linden hawk moths produce 60-80 eggs, bedstraw - 100 eggs, and wine medium - up to 300 eggs.

During the day, butterflies lay from 5 to several dozen eggs, that is, the clutch grows gradually. The eggs of the hawk moth are often flattened and covered with a thick shell, round or oval in shape, with a diameter of 1.2 to 2.5 mm. Their color is usually greenish, milky white, less often yellow, blue or red. After laying eggs, the females of most species of hawk moths die.

The incubation period lasts from 5 to 10 days, depending on the species, egg size and ambient temperature. By the time the larvae appear, the eggs change color, and caterpillars are visible through their shells. Caterpillars have a gnawing mouth apparatus, they eat a lot, since their main task is to accumulate substances for further development.

The moth larva, like the adult insect, is predominantly active at dusk and at night. The larval stage is the longest in the hawk moth's life cycle. It lasts from 17 days to 1.5 months. During this time, the caterpillar sheds several times. The number of molts in species is different: usually from 3 to 5. When it is time to pupate, the hawk moth larva burrows into the soil.

Pupation occurs in the topsoil, in litter or moss. Pine hawk moth becomes a pupa at a depth of 5 cm, ocellated - 7-10 cm, lime - 15-20 cm. Caterpillars dig shallow holes, braiding the walls with silk. This lining protects the pupa from dampness and underground predators.

Pupa is oval, soft at first, hardens over time. A characteristic feature of the hawk moth pupa is a horn-shaped elevation at its end. In pine and lilac hawk moths, pupae have a special case in the form of a nose for the proboscis. And in the pupa of the bindweed hawk, the proboscis sticks out.

The pupal stage without diapause lasts from 10 to 33 days. But there are exceptions: for example, in a pine hawk moth, it can last 2 or even 3 years.

With the onset of spring, in the temperate zone, the pupae of the hawk moths turn into a butterfly.

Life span of hawk moths

The life span of an insect depends on the species. For example, the life cycle of a tobacco hawk moth is 30-35 days. Pupae of most sphinxes of the middle lane fall into torpor (diapause) and do not wake up until favorable conditions come. The average lifespan of an adult is approximately 2-3 weeks. Those hawk moths that do not feed, but live off the substances accumulated at the caterpillar stage, die a few days after emerging from the pupa, leaving behind offspring.

Enemies of hawkers in the wild

Nature did not create butterflies beautiful to please us. In this way, she took care of protecting the Lepidoptera from numerous enemies. At any stage of development, hawk moths are attracted by:

The most active moth hunters are bats (various fruit bats and bats).

Scientists in the United States have found that as a result of evolution, hawk moths have developed the ability to emit ultrasounds to save themselves from bats. Thus, they disorientate predators and manage to escape from them. More than half of the species of hawk moths emit ultrasounds using their genitals.

The thrush eats the ocellated hawk moth (Latin Smerinthus ocellatus). Photo Credit: Mick Lobb, CC BY-SA 2.0

The value of hawk moths in nature: benefits and harms

Adult hawk moths are plant pollinators. Some members of the family feed on the nectar of plants of the same species. For example, African moth Xanthopan morganii has the longest proboscis among Lepidoptera (30-35 cm). Only she is able to get nectar from the spurs of the Madagascar orchid Angraecum sesquipedale... Sweet juice is located at a depth of 30 cm, to which the butterfly can easily reach with its proboscis. Thus, only this hawk moth pollinates the rare orchid.

Butterflies and caterpillars of the tobacco hawk have found applications in science, especially in neurobiology. The butterfly is of considerable size, develops rapidly, its organs are easily separated, and there are no problems when the insect is opened. The hawk moth of this species has a short life cycle, it does not enter diapause and develops with a 14-hour daylight hours. It is convenient to keep it in captivity. The large size of these butterflies makes them ideal model organisms. For science, the tobacco hawk has the same meaning as the Drosophila from the Diptera order.

Lovers of exotic reptiles breed the caterpillars of the tobacco hawk moth for food, since the body of the larva contains calcium, protein and moisture. One caterpillar replaces three locusts in nutritional value. In addition, it lacks a hard chitinous carapace. Breeding of hawk moth caterpillars for feed takes place on special farms.

Butterflies are often bred at home or on special farms. At the same time, people pursue different goals. They are grown to create collections, i.e. pinning, selling as "living salute" or "living postcards". For the latter use, tropical butterflies are most often kept, which are not adapted to the climate of other places. After the Lepidoptera bring dubious joy to the recipient of the gift, they are likely to die. They are also grown to create exhibitions in museums, zoos and national parks. In addition, hawk moths are bred for their large, protein-rich caterpillars that feed reptiles, for scientific and conservation purposes, and for their own pleasure.

Breeding hawk moths at home

To breed domestic hawk moths, you need to maintain at least 14 hours of daylight hours, a temperature of about 22 ° C and a humidity of at least 55%. It is ideal to keep insects in a special insectarium, where all conditions for life are created. But if there is no such device, you will have to create suitable conditions in the room.

• Use the directional light of the lamp for illumination.
• Maintain moisture by spraying warm water from a spray bottle next to the animal.
• Provide a spacious cage for the caterpillars. Its volume depends on the number of larvae. Equip the walls of the cage with a mosquito net so that the caterpillar can crawl on it without slipping.
• Provide air access with ventilation holes if the cage is closed.
• Open the container for keeping pupae. But put enough peat or slightly damp moss in it. The pupa of the oleander hawk will appear on the surface, the pupa of the tobacco one - at a depth of 5 cm in the soil, other species will be grounded deeper. A total of 15 cm of soil will be sufficient. The substrate must not be overdried. To moisturize, spray it, but do not water it, or put a wet branch in the garden.
• The caterpillars will need their food plants to feed them. Place the branches with leaves in a container of water. But cover the water at the same time so that the caterpillars do not fall and die in it. If you can't get the greens you need, feed them artificial hawk caterpillar food.
• Butterflies feed in flight, they are very mobile. Therefore, keep them in spacious gardens with flowering plants: this way they will feed naturally. You can also feed the hawk moths at home with honey or jam diluted with water. In this case, it is not necessary to spread their proboscis: lower the front legs for a short time into the solution, they have taste buds on them. Feed the hawk moths during the day. They fly at night and will not eat. Note: Not all hawk moths need food. In adulthood, bedstraw, wine, euphorbia, tobacco, oleander, bindweed, lilac hawk moths feed. The following types are not eaten: ocellated, linden, poplar.

• At night, the dead head hawk robots the bees. The butterfly pierces the honeycomb with its strong proboscis and drinks honey. At the same time, she buzzes like a bee. But the deception is not always successful: sometimes the bees pounce on the robber and bite to death. After that, they mummify the butterfly and leave it in the hive.
• Many moth caterpillars are able to relax their muscles and simulate death when in danger.
• The dead head hawk maker "sings" in danger, or rather, emits a sharp loud squeak. The sound is formed from the release of air from the front intestine by the butterfly, which leads to the oscillation of the folds of the chitinous cover of the oral apparatus. Caterpillars and pupae also sing in this species.
• Flowers pollinated by nocturnal hawk moths begin to smell good towards night.
• In one minute, hawk moths fly a distance exceeding the size of their body by 23-25 ​​thousand times.
• In the Middle Ages, the inhabitants of Europe called the lilac hawk moth "dead head". People were afraid of meeting him, as they considered him a herald of death.

It is simply akin to a miracle: going out into your own yard to your own flower bed, to see above the flowers something very reminiscent of the famous tropical hummingbird. Logic suggests that climatic conditions have not yet changed so much for the Tropican women to migrate to us, but here it is - businesslike, busy, sticking out its proboscis, drinking nectar from the gramophone of a petunia, hanging beautifully over the flowers.

The charm of these insects lies precisely in the similarity with the habits of hummingbirds. And they are similar in size. Moth butterflies, and it is they who confuse the ignorant of the species diversity of nature lovers, are quite often found during the day in central Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and other European countries. And although representatives of the moth species fly out in search of food at night, there are several subspecies that feed like birds during the day.

Butterfly bird

For an insect, hawk moths are simply enormous: 29-32 mm, some individuals reach thirty-six. The wingspan of representatives of the moth family is also rather big - from 50 to 70 millimeters.

Moth butterflies have a unique appearance. Each species has its own color and pattern on the back and wings. For example, a wine hawk has a burgundy hue (like wine), and a butterfly with a terrifying name, a dead head, bears an image on its back that strikingly resembles pirate symbolism - a skull.

Entomologists choose the names of butterflies in accordance with their inherent traits or style of behavior. The hawk family got their "surname" because of their habit of eating, flying from flower to flower, just as drunkards (and earlier they were called only hawkers) move from table to table, from tavern to tavern, until they get drunk.

Not a very euphonious name, but it is firmly entrenched in insects.

Best flyers

Despite the seeming sluggishness and increased shaggy, hawk moths have earned the title of the best flyers among insects. If you observe insects in a state of immobility (when they are sitting), one can hardly suspect that these creatures with a rather thick body, noticeable antennae and completely fragile wings can come off the ground.

Nevertheless, the species of butterflies of this family are a kind of high-speed "planes" from the world of insects. They are capable of speeds up to 50 kilometers per hour and can visit completely different regions in one day. Thus, insects provide themselves with a varied diet: either nectar from lilac, then from hydrangea, then from any other flowers - each of them has its own taste. And the hawk moth flies to this wealth purposefully, and not just brings it with the wind, like other, lighter insects.

Habitat

Hawk moths are common in Asia, Europe and North America. Fluffy insects that feed on nectar during the day and are nocturnal can be found from the western European coast of the Atlantic to Kamchatka. Even in the northern regions, seemingly unsuitable for insect habitation, hawk moths are not uncommon.

In Russia, hawk moths are in the Lipetsk region, in Yelets, in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. They were photographed even near Ufa and Tyumen.

By the way, it is not so easy to capture this nimble insect, it moves so quickly from flower to flower. But in the images that we managed to get, it is noticeable that the butterfly's wings are in active movement and look transparent.

How is beauty born?

The caterpillars of hawk moths deserve a separate discussion, since they also belong to the wonders of nature. Beauties in color and originals in body structure, these forerunners of the hawk moths are able to wonderfully disguise themselves as the environment, taking the form of a twisted leaf.

But they also know how to stand out with a bright color scheme and the presence of a growth on the tail in the form of a small horn.

Caterpillars of butterflies pupate since mid-August, snugly nestling in a cocoon of fallen leaves or in a moss pillow, or in the soil, buried at a depth of at least five centimeters.

The pupa spends winter in a cocoon, and in spring it appears to the world in all its glory.

Life is short

If we consider the species of butterflies in general, then among them there are none that would live longer than two or three weeks. Those that can last a month are already real long-livers among insects.

Some of the representatives of the hawkers are lucky to enjoy life for only a few days. Now we are talking about those who do not have either a proboscis or a digestive system. Such butterflies live only at the expense of those substances that the caterpillar has accumulated in due time.

Hummingbird butterflies, able to feed themselves from flowering plants, delight us with their presence a little longer - up to a month.

Sometimes two generations of hawk moths are born a year - in May and September.

And that's all of them

The names of hawk moths are very unusual and eloquent - they always reveal the essence of an insect.

The most common bedstraws in our territory got their name because of their favorite food product. When they were caterpillars, they feed exclusively on bedstraw, and when they were butterflies, they can fly even in the coldest latitudes, up to the Arctic Circle.

The same can be said about the euphorbia, lime hawk moths.

Medium and small wine hawk moths differ from each other only in size, which is what their names indicate. Almost the same structure, practically the same color, these butterflies have long been an adornment of city flower beds and garden plots. People perceive their bright cheerful color as a symbol of summer.

There are legends about the dead head hawk maker. Say, this is a dungeon dweller, marked and associated with evil spirits. And the poor insect was just unlucky with the pattern: the butterfly is adorned with an impartial skull. The dead head has another unique feature - when touched, it emits a piercing squeaking sound. Butterfly wings have a span of up to 13 cm.

The hawk moths, despite belonging to the same family, are very different insects: some are too bright, others are of a neutral calm color, some have a comfortable proboscis, others only have antennae.

In total, there are 1200 species of moth family butterflies in the world, of which 25 are found in the European part of Russia.

Forty degrees is the norm

Moth family butterflies have a massive spindle-like body, which is quite difficult to lift into the air (they always and everyone evoke associations with small cargo planes).

In order for the flight to go well, insects need to warm up their muscles before starting it - flutter their wings while sitting still. This process is so effective that it heats the butterfly's body up to forty degrees, and this temperature indicator lasts the entire period of the butterfly's flight.

Honey thieves

The hawk moths do not live on nectar alone, they also respect honey very much. For this delicacy, butterflies do not hesitate to climb into bee hives. And what is most surprising is to return from there not only safe and sound, but also well-fed. How do bees tolerate such impudent raids?

Scientists-entomologists have come to the conclusion that the quiet creaking sounds made by hawk moths hypnotically affect the entire swarm, reminding bees of the sound of a queen. So the butterfly distracts the attention of the bees and feasts on honey.

You should not destroy hawk moths for this cute theft, they do not harm the apiary, and it would not hurt to protect honey thieves: almost all species of these butterflies are listed in the Red Book.

The moth butterfly also has a second name - the hummingbird butterfly. Some types of such amazing living creatures are included in the Red Book. These unusual and vivid representatives of the Lepidoptera family evoke a lot of positive emotions. Few people know what to do if this insect has been found in the garden or in the garden. Since it is a butterfly, there are also caterpillars of these insects, which are no less voracious than the caterpillars of other insect species. But there are always not enough of them to cause serious damage to the crop. In addition, these are rare species of butterflies and should not be fought with.

Moth butterfly: description

The hawk moth is considered a rather interesting and amazing insect, resembling hummingbirds in appearance. Various species of these insects show their activity at different times of the day: some fly during the day, others in the evening, after sunset, and still others at night. At the same time, you can see insects with a very original body color, so many owners cannot determine what kind of species it is.

The nature of life:

• Adults grow up to 11 cm in length and have a proboscis up to 10 cm long. The wingspan of a butterfly is 65-120 mm.
• The insect is capable of flying at speeds up to 50 km / h.
• The hawk moth flies over flowers, hovers over them and feeds on the nectar of flowers.
• The complete development cycle of such an amazing creature is 4 stages: a caterpillar (larva) appears from the egg, which after a certain time turns into a pupa, and an adult emerges from the pupa, which lays eggs. It lasts from 30 to 45 days, so 2 generations of these amazing creatures are born over the summer.
• Adults appear at the end of June and perfectly complement the greenery with their outfits. They begin to fly around flowering trees and shrubs such as apple, pear, lilac, chestnut, pollinating them.
• The larvae of the hummingbird butterfly are quite large and can reach a length of about 12.5 cm. Moreover, they differ in their original, bright pattern of their body. Some species have a fantastic range of colors: green with a lemon tint, white with black and yellow spots, brownish gray with "painted" eyes in the front of the body. As a rule, they look like creatures, as if from another planet.
• A characteristic feature of the hawk moth caterpillar is the presence of a horn at the end of the body. The color of the horn depends on the type of butterfly and may have original colors.
• Before turning into a butterfly, becoming a pupa, the caterpillar changes its color. Before becoming a pupa, the caterpillar has already accumulated the required amount of nutrients and is hiding in the ground. After 18 days, a fairly beautiful hawk moth emerges from the pupa. As soon as the wings are dry, the butterfly goes flying to find a sexual partner and lay eggs in order to prolong its kind.

Additional factors:

• If you take a moth moth caterpillar, then it does not cause disgust and behaves quite calmly or moves slowly. Many people are afraid of caterpillars, but this caterpillar does not bite and cannot harm humans.
• Caterpillars feed on young leaves. The wine hawk prefers to settle on the vine. The caterpillar is large in size and very warlike in color, with a thorn at the end. The caterpillar has a rather unusual appearance, so many owners do not try to destroy it, constantly watching it. After a while, I manage to see a beautiful butterfly.
• The tongue hawk moth is similar in appearance to a small bird. It can often be seen on a personal plot, and children who saw this creature say that they saw a small, unusual bird in a flower garden.
• The "dead head" hawk moth differs in that it has a pattern on its chest that looks like a skull or a pattern that was found on pirate flags. This is one of the largest moth moths. It feeds on both the sap of young trees and honey. This butterfly can easily climb right into the hive, making sounds like a young uterus makes sounds. Therefore, she calmly steals honey from bees. They do not touch her, since they take her for their kindred.
• Bedstraw hawk moth is more common in the middle lane. It has a long proboscis and a dense body. At the same time, the body color is a combination of brown and beige, and orange blotches are visible on the tips of the wings.

These insects are also called sphinxes. This is due to the fact that the disturbed caterpillar lifts the front of its body and freezes in the sphinx position.

There are several types of hawk moths:

• Euphorbiaceous.
• Wine.
• Pine.
• Dead Head.
• Ocellated.
• Oleander.
• Bindweed.
• Lilac.
• Proboscis hawk and many others.

Interesting to know! Scientists are aware of more than 1000 species of these insects. There are species that constantly migrate, making long-distance flights, as well as flying from continent to continent.

What attracts beautiful butterflies

These unique creatures are attracted to the garden by beautiful flowers, fragrant nectar of which is included in the diet of hawk moths. The more different flowers, ornamental shrubs and fruit crops on the site, the higher the likelihood of the appearance of these insects. The wine hawk settles where the grapes are grown.

The moth caterpillars eat the leaves of many cultivated plants, while they do not cause significant damage to these plants.

Is it worth fighting the hawk moth butterfly

The hawk moth rarely appears in the garden, as it is more attracted to flower gardens and flower beds. These insects are also plant pollinators, so we can safely talk about the benefits of these insects. There is no serious harm from the caterpillars of these butterflies: although they eat young leaves, but not on a huge scale. Plants have time to recover.