Hawkmoth butterfly - description, habitat, species. Oleander hawk moth: interesting facts, features of the species What kind of hawk moth

The world of insects is vast and amazing. A special place in it is occupied by lepidoptera, or butterflies, the diversity of which amazes everyone: the layman, the amateur, and even the researcher. Thus, among the well-known marigolds and cabbages, there are truly exotic representatives of the class. The hawk moth butterfly is similar. The family has such unofficial names as “sphinx” or “northern hummingbird”. The origin of the first is associated with the unusual way the moth eats food, the second - with the heroic size of usually fragile and graceful insects.

Entomologists have identified a huge number of species of hawk moth butterflies, each of which has a distinctive color and a distinctive wing pattern. You can verify this by looking at specific examples. Thus, the wine hawk moth has exquisite burgundy wings; The death's head hawk moth stands out among others due to the unique pattern on its wings and back, reminiscent of a symbolic image of a human skull.

What is the reason for such a wide range of color varieties of species of one family? Scientists attribute this fact to the dependence of color changes on the animal’s diet and habitat. However, despite such a wide palette, most hawkmoth butterflies are decorated with a pattern, the compositional elements of which are an oblique stripe and large “eye” spots.

What does an insect look like?

As noted earlier, representatives of this family are large-sized individuals. The insect's sufficient heaviness is ensured by its impressive body, which takes the shape of a cone. The butterfly's wings are partially retracted, their span varies from 3.5 centimeters to 17.5 centimeters. Interesting characteristics can be given to the antennae of an insect: quite long, pointed at the ends, and shaped like hooks. In the upper part of the hawk moth's body there are eyes, which are crowned with eyebrows formed from small scales. At a lower level in relation to the eyes is the proboscis, which, when deployed, can reach a length that easily exceeds the size of the moth's body. The spines on the insect’s legs also play the role of a “highlight”, since most butterflies make do with only an abundance of hair.

The lower part of the hawk moth's body is completely covered with scales. What is interesting is its elongation through this protective layer: towards the end of the abdomen the scales continue, thereby creating a tail. The large wings of the hawkmoth located in the front part are pointed at the top. The outer edge varies: in some individuals it is predominantly smooth, while others boast a carved design. The hidden hind wings are smaller than the front wings. They are characterized by bevels and notches at the ends.

Hawkmoth larvae often live in the crowns of trees such as birch or alder, linden or chestnut, pear or apple. There they appear at the end of the first summer month.

On the Internet you can find a huge number of photographs depicting hawk moth butterflies. But many users note that digital media cannot convey the amazing beauty and unusualness that nature has endowed this insect with.

Many different species of this family of Lepidoptera live in the natural environment. Their peculiarity is that each of them has its own period of greatest activity. Some species prefer to be active at night, others - during the day, a third - like larks, in the early morning, a fourth - like vampires, they love twilight. Such is the fate of some hawk moths that today they need protection. Therefore, many of them are listed in the Red Book.

The insect's flight speed is very high. While moving in the air, it emits a specific buzz, as the moth often flaps its wings. Just imagine, in one second he manages to make fifty-two swings. All this became the basis for comparing the hawkmoth butterfly with a small airplane.

In appearance, large individuals easily resemble birds. Among the species whose representatives can be confused with birds are, for example, the oleander hawk moth. He manages to fly very long distances during crossings both from one country to another and from one continent to another.

Types of hawk moth butterflies

1. Hawk hawk. The size of its front wing is between 32 and 42 millimeters, so its wingspan can reach 8 centimeters. The carved edge of the retracted wings is the main difference of the species. The color of the wings is not uniform. First of all, it is represented by the brown background color. In addition, the wings are decorated with patterns reminiscent of the natural “ornament” of marble. There is a brown stripe on the back of the insect's body. The small wings located behind the front wings are colored pinkish and red. They also have spots on them, often called “eyes” for their resemblance to real animal eyes. Being painted black they have a light blue ring inside. The butterfly's antennae resemble small saws in shape.
2. Tobacco hawk moth. Usually lives in the tropics of the South American continent and is sometimes found by entomologists in some places in the United States of America. The insect got its name due to its frequent presence on plantations where tobacco grows. Americans call it one of the main pests of this plant. This conclusion is not accidental, because tobacco forms the basis of the larvae’s diet. The caterpillars were also distinguished by a unique pattern located on the abdominal part. It resembles a geometric pattern of twelve squares of yellow and red flowers.
3. Linden hawk moth. It has medium-sized wings, providing a span of 8 centimeters. The wing edges are uneven, with pronounced teeth. The color of the wings is iridescent: from orange shades to olive color. Against such a heterogeneous background, spots of dark color appear. The hind wings of the butterfly are decorated with a contrasting stripe. The color of the larvae is usually green with red stripes. Due to its location, the pupa spends the winter in the ground and is colored brown-black. Forests with deciduous trees are favorable for the habitat of the linden hawk moth. Therefore, populations of the species can often be found in Europe, Asia Minor and the Caucasus.

What does a butterfly eat?

The favorite delicacy of insects is flower nectar. While eating it, the hawk moth does not sit on the flower, but flutters over it, hovering in one place. This makes the butterfly look like the hummingbird known to many. A small number of insects possess the skill of such flight.

Some species of the family eat honey. This is the death's head hawk moth. At night, he organizes a “robbery” of the hives. First, the insect flies nearby and with its buzzing lulls the vigilance of the bees, who mistake it for one of their own. Then it penetrates the honey “treasury” and sucks out the contents of the honeycomb.

How do hawk moths reproduce?

The complete life cycle of a butterfly, including all four stages of transformation, is approximately one month. In moth form, individuals often live only a few days. Two new generations usually grow up in one calendar year.

The female's search for a partner occurs with the help of pheromones she secretes. The resulting pair mates. This process usually takes 30 minutes, and the individuals remain motionless throughout. After this, the butterfly lays eggs, from which caterpillars appear after 3 days. The activity of the larvae helps them prepare for the next stage. For this to happen, Nature gave the caterpillar a camouflage green color and the ability to scare away natural enemies with the help of an unpleasant odor and secreted poisons. The caterpillar takes the accumulated energy and strength with it into the soil, where it turns into a pupa. In this capacity, it lives for a little more than two weeks, after which it turns into a hawkmoth butterfly. The formed insect comes out of the cocoon and dries its wings for some time. As soon as an individual realizes that it can fly, it begins to search for a partner.

Video: Hawkmoth butterfly (Sphingidae)

: egg, larva, pupa and butterfly. Adult butterflies do not live long - only a few days, during which they need to have time to find a mate, mate and lay a clutch of eggs on a food plant. After 3-4 days, a larva emerges from the eggs - the hawk moth caterpillar. The task is to accumulate nutrients for further development and transition to the next stage.

Interesting!

The caterpillar stage is the most important and longest period in the insect's life cycle. During the day, the hawkmoth caterpillar freezes in one position, masquerading as a leaf. at night, moving around the plant. Over the course of several weeks, it actively feeds and increases in size. Some species reach 10 cm in length.

Variety of hawk moth larvae

The hawk moth insect has a wide variety of species, distributed in many regions of the mainland, including Russia. Some of them have protective properties: they emit an unpleasant odor, have a bright warning color, and a formation in the form of a pointed horn is formed at the end of the body. The most interesting and frequently encountered hawk moths are:

• bedstraw;
• medium and small wine;
• ocellated and others.

They are common in the central zone of the country, in Western Siberia, the southern regions of the Krasnodar Territory, in Crimea, and in the Far East. From the photo of a hawkmoth caterpillar, you can distinguish the features inherent in each type of insect.

The insects got their name from the plant on which the larvae live - bedstraw. They can also be found on fireweed and milkweed. Distributed throughout almost the entire central zone of Eurasia and North America.

The appearance of the bedstraw hawkmoth is quite bright. The caterpillars are covered with yellow spots with a black border. Throughout the summer they feed on leaves, and by autumn they descend into the upper layers of the soil, where they turn into a pupa. Until spring they remain in this phase, and with the onset of warmth, an adult butterfly emerges from the ground.

One of the most beautiful species of insects prefers the more southern regions of the mainland, feeding on fireweed, bedstraw and grape leaves. The name "wine" was given to the pest because of its food preference - grapes. The second reason is the bright pink color of the butterfly, reminiscent of the color of wine.

On a note!

The wine hawk moth caterpillar has an interesting shape and color. When in danger, she draws in her head and inflates her chest, on the upper part of which there are two spots similar to eyes. Externally, the larva resembles a small snake with a large head. Such an unusual appearance can confuse the natural enemies of the pest.

This representative of insect pests feeds on the foliage of poplar, aspen, bird cherry, and willow. It is common in the more northern regions of the mainland: Siberia, Western Europe. The color of the caterpillar is in harmony with the environment. The body has a greenish tint with oblique stripes imitating the veins of a leaf rolled into a tube.

Sphingidae

The hawk moth family includes over 1000 species of predominantly nocturnal moths, distributed throughout the world. Most live in tropical regions. Hawkmoths are for the most part large butterflies with a thick, muscular body that tapers towards the rear end. The South American hawk moth antheus reaches 17.5 cm in wingspan. The front wings of hawkmoths are narrow, long, and the pectoral muscles are very powerful, which is why hawkmoths are the fastest butterflies. The record speed among butterflies - 54 km per hour - was recorded for hawk moths. The flight of these butterflies is so fast that you won’t even have time to see them. But the large caterpillars immediately catch the eye. When in danger, they release a horn at the rear end, which is usually placed under the skin.

Xanthopan morgani

XANTOPANE MORGAN

Xanthopan Morgana is found in Madagascar and tropicalregions of Africa. The wingspan is from 10 to 13 cm. The color of the hind wings is dark with two spots at the base, separated by a dark stripe. This hawkmoth has a surprisingly long proboscis - up to 25 cm. With the help of it, it feeds on the nectar of tubular flowers, for example, the one and a half pound orchid angraecum. This orchid was first scientifically described by Charles Darwin. He suggested that there was an insect with an unusually long proboscis that could pollinate these flowers. A few years later, a subspecies of hawkmoth was discovered, which was named xanthopan praedicta (“praedicta” means “predicted”). Caterpillars develop on annon and uvaria.

Smerinthus ocellata

Hawk Moth

The hawk moth is found almost throughout Europe. Butterflies fly in forests, parks and gardens where willows grow. poplar, aspen and apple trees on which the caterpillars of this hawk moth live and feed. After going through the last molt, the caterpillar descends, digs a hole and pupates in the ground. At rest, the butterfly is almost invisible, but if disturbed, it opens its wings, revealing blue eyes and brightly colored hind wings. This is discouraging and often deters predators.

Pseudosphinx tetrio

PSEUDOPHINX TETRIO

The pseudosphinx tetrio is distributed from Paraguay to the Caribbean and the southern United States. The wingspan is from 13 to 16 cm. During the day, this hawk moth rests on tree trunks, where it is almost invisible due to the brown-gray color of the wings. Caterpillars develop on jasmine and plumeria.

Protambulix strigilis

PROTAMBULIX STRIGILIS

This butterfly is found in tropical regions of Central and South America. Butterflies have long, narrow forewings and a characteristic narrow border along their outer edge. The wingspan is from 9.5 to 12 cm. The caterpillars are green with diagonal yellow stripes. They feed on the leaves of anacadium and other plants from the anacordiaceae family.

Manduca sexto.

CAROLINA HAWK HAWK

This hawk moth is distributed from the tropical regions of SouthAmerica to the northern regions of the USA. The butterfly is easily recognized by the pattern on its abdomen of six pairs of yellowish-red squares. Caterpillars develop on cultivated nightshade plants: tobacco, potatoes and tomatoes. Carolina hawk moth sometimes causes significant damage to these crops. Sometimes you can observe large populations of this hawkmoth caterpillars on tomato plantations. In the fight against crop pests, traps with young unfertilized females of this species have proven to be very effective. Males, attracted by pheromones, fly from everywhere and die. Thus, the number of this species decreases.

Laothoe populi

POPLAR HAWKHOM

The poplar hawk moth has a wide range of habitats, from Western Europe to temperate regions of Asia, including parts of Siberia. There are two generations per year. Butterflies fly along the edges of the forest and in parks. Eggs are laid on poplars, willow, aspen, willow, and less often on linden and ash. The caterpillars are green or bluish-green, decorated with a pattern of white and yellow dots. After the last molt, the caterpillar digs a hole in the ground where it pupates. The pupa overwinters. Butterflies fly at night and rest on tree trunks during the day. Thanks to their reliable protective coloring, they are almost invisible.

Hyles galii

Hawkmoth

Bedstraw hawk moth is found in North America and Europe. Sometimes butterflies of this species make long flights. They live, as a rule, in dry regions where different types of bedstraw grow. The caterpillars pupate in a cocoon of fallen leaves held together by silk threads. There are one, sometimes two generations per year. Butterflies fly during the day and at dusk. They often visit flowers, feeding on their nectar or mating on them.

Hemaris fuciformis

Bumblebee Proboscis

This kind butterflies live throughout most of Europe. They fly through copses, lawns, and also along the edges of forests. Lays eggs on honeysuckle and snowy tree. Having gone through the last molt, the caterpillar descends to the ground, weaves fallen leaves into a web and pupates in this cocoon under the foliage. The pupa overwinters. A newborn butterfly is covered with scales, but in its first flight it loses most of them. The scales remain only on the outer edge of the wings, and the rest is transparent. The bumblebee proboscis flies during the day and feeds on rhododendron nectar.

Euchloron megaera

HAWK MEGER

This is the only representative of the genus Euchloron, often found in sub-Saharan Africa. The butterfly immediately attracts attention: it has bright green forewings and body. The color of the hind wings varies from yellow to orange. Width: 7-12 cm. Caterpillars develop on European grapes and parthenocissus. The caterpillars on the first segment have large eyes that repel insectivorous animals.

Deilephila

BRAZHNIK WINE MEDIUM

Medium hawk moth is a common Eurasian species. Caterpillars develop on fireweed and many types of bedstraw. Caterpillars are brown and yellow in color. The anterior part of the thorax of caterpillars is narrowed. Butterflies fly at dusk. They often fly to honeysuckle, feeding on its nectar. In gardens they lay eggs on fuchsia.

Daphnis nerii

HAWK OLEANDER

The oleander hawk moth lives over a large area of ​​Africa and inSoutheast Asia, and sometimes found in Europe. In tropical regions it flies all year round. The butterfly is very beautiful: malachite color with a brown-pink pattern. The wingspan is from 8 to 12 cm. Caterpillars develop on periwinkle and oleander, which contains the toxic substance nerein, toxic to vertebrates, but harmless to caterpillars. However, they do not accumulate it in the body, and therefore, unlike most butterflies that develop on poisonous plants, the oleander hawk moth is essentially defenseless.

HAWK TRIANGULARIS

Hawkmoth triangularis is found only in eastern Australia. The butterfly is easily recognized by the dark triangular markings on the front wings, the span of which reaches 16 cm. Caterpillars develop on banksia, grevillea, macadamia and other plants. Green caterpillars are covered with yellow and white hairs. The back pair of legs are decorated with markings resembling a reptile's eye, which deters predators.

Cocytius ant aeus

BRAZHNIK ANTEY

This is the largest representative of the family, reaching over 17.5 cm in wingspan. It lives in the tropical regions of South and Central America, as well as in Florida (USA). Distinctive features are the yellowish coloration on the sides of the body and the yellow bases of the hind wings, on which translucent “windows” are located. Butterflies fly all year round and do not hibernate. The caterpillars feed on Annona leaves.

Agris convolvuli

HAWK MONKTH

The range of distribution of the bindweed hawkmoth extends from Africa, Europe and Asia to Australia. Butterflies fly to Europe from Africa. The pupae overwinter. They cannot tolerate frost, so they survive only in warm regions. Butterflies feed on the nectar of honeysuckle, which emits a strong aroma at dusk that attracts pollinating insects. Caterpillars develop on field bindweed.

Agrius cingulata

Hawk Moth Cingulata

The cingulate hawk moth is found in the southern United States, Central America, South America and Hawaii. In the USA, caterpillars harm sweet potato plantations, and therefore they are destroyed by all possible means. The butterfly is easily recognized by the red diagonal stripes on the gel. The color of the stripes varies among individuals depending on the habitat: from pale pink to crimson.

Acherontia atropos

Hawk Moth "Dead's Head"

Hawkmoth "death's head" lives in North Africa and southwesternregions of Africa. From the Mediterranean it flies north to Europe. Migrating butterflies fly in July-August. The second generation appears in early September. Caterpillars develop on potatoes, tomatoes, and dope. The caterpillar pupates in the ground. The death's head's proboscis is short but very strong. With it, the butterfly not only sucks out nectar, but can also pierce the honeycombs in hives to get to the honey. When there is danger, the “dead head” emits a squeak, which confuses predators. Wingspan up to 12 cm.

The hawk moth family includes over 1000 species of predominantly nocturnal moths, distributed throughout the world. Most live in tropical regions.

Hawkmoths are for the most part large butterflies with a thick, muscular body, a streamlined body tapering towards the rear end, and narrow wings. Hawkmoths are capable of speeds of up to 50 km per hour and fly long distances. The record speed among butterflies - 54 km per hour - was recorded for hawk moths. The long proboscis allows them to feast on nectar on the fly without landing on the flower.

Hawkmoths are active at dusk and at night, and some species are active during the day. Adult hawk moths in some species do not feed at all; their oral apparatus is underdeveloped. For others, they feed on nectar; at the same time, they hang over the flower and suck nectar in flight using a well-developed proboscis. Large hawkmoth caterpillars immediately catch the eye. When in danger, they release a horn at the rear end, which is usually placed under the skin. Very often the Russian name of the species (oleander, euphorbia) corresponds to the name of the caterpillars’ food plant.

Hawkmoth family

Sphingidae

Privet or lilac hawkmoth

Small hawkmoth

Brazhnik wine medium

Convolvulus hawkmoth

Oak hawkmoth

Hawkmoth dwarf

Carolina hawk moth

Hawkmoth Leghorn

Hawkmoth lined

Linden hawk moth

Lesser hawkmoth

Hawkmoth "death's head"

Euphorbia hawk moth

Sea buckthorn hawkmoth

Hawkmoth oleander

Hawkmoth aspen

Bedstraw hawkmoth

Hawkmoth piglet

Hawkmoth is blind

Pine hawkmoth

Hawkmoth Tityus

poplar hawkmoth

Drone Hawk Moth

Hawkmoth cingulata

Hawk Moth Elpenor

Xanthopan Morgana

Langia arborescens

Protambulix strigilis

Bumblebee proboscis

Bumblebee moth

Croatian bumblebee

Adhemarius dariensis

A butterfly with graceful leaf-shaped forewings with a modest but exquisite pattern that allows the resting hawk moth to remain invisible to enemies. The hind wings, on the contrary, are bright crimson with a contrasting black serrated band; they scare away predators. This is one of the most spectacular representatives of the neotropical genus Adhemarius, which includes about 10 other species.

Distribution: Panama, Costa Rica and Mexico, the butterfly is not common.

Sosutius antaeus

Description: wingspan over 17.2 cm, this is the largest representative of the hawk moth family. Butterflies have a yellow color on the sides of the body and yellow bases of the hind wings, with translucent “windows” located on them. Butterflies are in flight all year round. Caterpillars feed on the annon.

Distribution: tropical regions of South and Central America, and Florida (USA).

The size of the butterfly is 26-32 mm. Wingspan - 45-60 mm. The caterpillar of this beautiful butterfly has a trunk-like protrusion on its head, which is why the British call it the “elephant hawk moth”. The forewings are dark bronze or olive green, becoming dull and yellowish-green with age. The hind wings are black at the base, the rest of them are dark pink. A butterfly hovering over a honeysuckle flower at dusk is easily recognized by its characteristic flight.

Distributed throughout most of Europe, except the north. It lives in light forests, on river banks, in gardens and wastelands. The caterpillars' food plants are fireweed, bedstraw and fuchsia. Butterflies collect nectar from plants such as honeysuckle. The butterfly flies in May-July. A butterfly flies into the light at night. Gives two generations: I - June, II - July-August. The pupa overwinters.

The size of the butterfly is 33-42 mm. Wingspan - 70-80 mm. On the hind wings there are large ocellated spots, which are usually hidden. A disturbed butterfly raises its front wings and displays terrifying eye-shaped spots. At the same time, the butterfly raises its abdomen, scaring away birds and other predators. The butterfly does not feed.

Distributed throughout Europe. Lives in gardens and light forests. The caterpillars' food plant is mainly willow and apple trees, sometimes feeding on other deciduous trees. The caterpillars are green and have a bluish protrusion at the back of their body. Adults fly from May to July. The pupa overwinters.

Hawkmoth "death's head"

The size of the butterfly is 46-60 mm. Wingspan - 80-120 mm. This fat butterfly gets its name from the pattern on its chest that resembles a human skull. The hind wings are black and yellow, striped. The proboscis of this butterfly is quite short, so it does not land on flowers, but often feasts on honey in bee hives.

Distributed throughout Europe, where it occurs in summer. Butterflies fly from Africa to Europe every year and leave offspring. However, European winters are too harsh for this species to reproduce, so the butterflies return from Africa the following spring. Lives almost everywhere, often near potato fields. The caterpillars' food plant is potatoes, nightshade and other nightshades. The summer period of butterflies is late summer and autumn. Butterflies have a rather unusual habit: they climb into hives in search of honey, and if you touch them, they make a loud squeak.

The death's head hawk moth is the only butterfly that can "squeak". On the inner surface of her upper lip is a thin chitinous film that vibrates when she draws air into the digestive canal.

The size of the butterfly is 15-30 mm. Wingspan - 37-42 mm. The background of the forewings may be green, brown or grey, but the central band is usually darker than the rest of the wing. The hind wings are yellow with a brown border. The butterfly usually flies during the day. Its dimensions are very variable.

Distributed in Central and Southern Europe, Iran, Eastern Afghanistan, Northwestern China. On the territory of the former USSR - in the center and south of the European part, in the Crimea, Transcaucasia, the Urapia region, Western Siberia, Central Asia, Kazakhstan. It lives in forest clearings and other sunny places, often near water. The caterpillars' food plants are fireweed, primrose and loosestrife. The caterpillar's horn is reduced and looks like a round shield. The butterfly produces one generation, which flies in May-July. The pupa overwinters.

Coequosa triangularis

Description: The front wings have dark triangular markings. The wingspan is 16 cm. The caterpillars feed on banksia, grevillea, macadamia and other plants. The caterpillars are green in color and covered with yellow and white hairs. On the back pair of legs there is an eye-shaped pattern that scares away enemies.

Distribution: eastern Australia.

Euchloron megaera

Description: wingspan 7-12 cm. The front wings and body are bright green. The hind wings can range in color from yellow to orange. Caterpillars feed on European grapes and parthenocissus. The caterpillars have large eye-shaped spots on the first segment that repel predatory animals.

Distribution: Commonly found in sub-Saharan Africa.

Drone hawk moth or bumblebee proboscis

Butterfly size is 20-24 mm. Wingspan - 40-47 mm. Most of the scales fall off the wings of this butterfly during its first flight. The wings become transparent, with the exception of the chestnut border. A butterfly flies during the day. It hovers over a variety of flowers and feeds on nectar using its long proboscis. This species is distinguished by a characteristic chestnut belt on the abdomen. The butterfly looks like a bumblebee.

Distributed throughout most of Europe. Inhabits forest edges and clearings. The caterpillars' food plants are bedstraw, honeysuckle and symphoriocaarpos. The butterfly flies from April to September. The pupa overwinters.

Pseudosphinx tetrio

Description: wingspan from 13 to 16 cm. The wings are brown-gray, thanks to them this hawk moth is almost invisible on tree trunks. Caterpillars feed on jasmine and plumeria.

Distribution: Paraguay to the Caribbean and southern USA.

Eumorpha vitis

The genus name Eumorpha is translated from Latin as “beautifully colored”, which indicates the beauty of these butterflies. Several subspecies are known: hesperidium (Eumorpha vitis hesperidium) from the island of Jamaica is distinguished by a brighter light pattern; Fascatus (Eumorpha vitis fascatus) from the island of Dominica has a wider light stripe on the forewing and a more intense silver coating. The pattern on the wings of the female is similar to the male.

Distribution: from the southern USA to Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay. These tropical hawk moths begin to fly immediately after dusk. The greatest activity is observed around 9 pm, and by midnight they are already hiding.

The size of the butterfly is 21-25 mm. Wingspan - 40-50 mm. This butterfly flies during the day, emitting a clearly audible buzz. She quickly flies from flower to flower, hovering above them and feeding on nectar. The proboscis is well developed. The front wings are brownish and the hind wings are orange, but the butterfly usually appears as a brownish shadow.

Distribution: the butterfly is capable of flying over vast distances and in summer reaches almost all corners of Europe. Adult butterflies overwinter, but in the northern Alps they rarely survive until spring. It lives wherever there are flowers, usually in gardens. The butterfly lays eggs on a food plant in flight, attaching them one at a time. The caterpillars' food plant is bedstraw. In Crimea, the butterfly gives at least three generations, partially coinciding in time: I - November-May, II - June-June, III - August-September. During the thaw, a flying butterfly can be found in any winter month. Both the butterfly and the pupa overwinter. In the pupa, the proboscis sheath is welded together, but protrudes keel-like.

The hawk moth butterfly also has a second name - the hummingbird butterfly. Some species of such amazing living creatures are listed in the Red Book. These unusual and colorful representatives of the Lepidoptera family evoke a lot of positive emotions. Few people know what to do if this insect is found in the garden or vegetable garden. Since this is a butterfly, there are also caterpillars of these insects, which are no less voracious than the caterpillars of other types of insects. But there are never enough of them to cause serious damage to the crop. In addition, these are rare species of butterflies and should not be fought against.

Butterfly hawk moth: description

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

Nature of life:

• Adults grow up to 11 cm in length and have a proboscis up to 10 cm in length. The wingspan of the butterfly is 65-120 mm.
• The insect is capable of flying at speeds of up to 50 km/h.
• The hawkmoth butterfly flies over flowers, hovers over them and feeds on the nectar of flowers.
• The complete development cycle of such an amazing creature consists of 4 stages: a caterpillar (larva) appears from the egg, which after a certain time turns into a pupa, and an adult flies out of the pupa and lays eggs. This lasts from 30 to 45 days, so over the summer 2 generations of these amazing creatures are born.
• Adults emerge 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. At the same time, they are distinguished by the 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 on 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 hides in the ground. After 18 days, a rather beautiful hawkmoth butterfly emerges from the pupa. As soon as the wings dry, the butterfly takes flight to find a sexual partner and lay eggs to prolong its kind.

Additional factors:

• If you take a hawk moth caterpillar, 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.
• The caterpillars feed on young leaves. The wine hawk moth prefers to settle on the grapevine. The caterpillar is large in size and has a very warlike coloring, with a spike at the end. The caterpillar has a rather unusual appearance, so many owners do not try to destroy it, constantly watching it. After some time, I manage to see a beautiful butterfly.
• The tongue hawk moth is similar in appearance to a small bird. It can often be seen in the garden, and children who have seen this creature say that they saw a small, unusual bird in the flower garden.
• The death's head hawk moth is distinguished by the fact that it has a pattern on its chest similar to a skull or a design that was found on pirate flags. This is one of the largest butterflies of the hawkmoth species. 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 queen makes sounds. Therefore, she calmly steals honey from the bees. They do not touch her, as they mistake her for one of their relatives.
• Bedstraw hawk moth is more common in the middle zone. 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 splashes are visible on the tips of the wings.

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

There are several types of hawk moths:

• Euphorbia.
• Wine.
• Pine.
• Dead Head.
• Ocellated.
• Oleander.
• Convolvulus.
• Lilac.
• Proboscis Hawkmoth and many others.

Interesting to know! Scientists know about 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 beautiful flowers in the garden, the fragrant nectar of which is included in the diet of hawk moths. The more different flowers, ornamental shrubs and fruit crops there are on the site, the higher the likelihood of these insects appearing. The wine hawk moth settles where grapes are grown.

Hawkmoth caterpillars eat the leaves of many cultivated plants, but they do not cause significant damage to these plants.

Is it worth fighting the hawkmoth butterfly?

The hawkmoth butterfly rarely appears in the garden, as it is more attracted to flower beds 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. The plants have time to recover.