This large, familiar butterfly, hovering over fragrant flowers at dusk, is called a hawk moth. There are quite a few different types of hawk moths, but the most common is the tongue common Macroglossum stellatarum.
flickr/mishko2007
This nimble butterfly can easily be mistaken for a hummingbird: it flies so fast that it does not allow one to clearly see itself. But as soon as she likes a flower, the butterfly immediately hovers in the air and launches its proboscis into it. Well, just like the famous little bird!
flickr/svenpetersen1965
The span of its wings ranges from 3.8 to 5 cm. The front wings are usually gray with a barely noticeable dark transverse pattern, the hind wings are bright orange, outlined by a dark border. This butterfly has a thick muscular body, long narrow wings and well-developed pectoral muscles. It is thanks to this body structure that the tongue can move at breathtaking speed and cover enormous distances.
flickr/giansacca
This is something hawkmoths successfully use, constantly migrating from south to north and back. The reason for such movements is simple: where there are the most favorite colors for linguists, that’s where they tend to go.
In general, representatives of the species are found in Europe, northern Africa, southern India, middle lane Asia and the North Caucasus. There are a lot of languages in Crimea.
flickr/Hugo von Schreck
They feed in gardens and along the edges of forests, preferring warm, sunny places. They lead a diurnal lifestyle. In a year they manage to produce two or three generations. In this case, the eggs are laid directly on the fly, attaching them to the food plant one at a time.
flickr/ComputerHotline
The caterpillars develop on chickweeds and bedstraws and pupate directly in the ground. Just before pupation, the caterpillar turns red. In many habitats, common tongues are included in the regional red books.
Tongue is not the most spectacular in the fast-winged hawk moth family. For example, the wine hawk moth Deilephila elpenor is painted in noble pink-lilac shades.
This is his amazing caterpillar :)
The small wine hawk moth, Deilephila porcellus, is inferior to its fellow in size, but has an advantage in color.
Lime hawk moth Mimas tiliae - another one beautiful butterfly from the hawk moth family.
Hawkmoth Smerinthus ocellatus
On the hind wings of the hawk moth there is a pattern in the form of a bright eye, hence the name of the butterfly. Like peacock eye, scare away enemies! And the front fenders are beautiful too.
Poplar hawkmoth Laothoe populi.
Hyles gallii
Hawkmoth caterpillars look like small snakes because unusual shape and coloring
But the one we meet lilac hawkmoth. Its upper wings are protectively faded, while its lower wings are frighteningly bright.
Hawk moths are primarily nocturnal moths and feed at dusk and at night. Their eyes are designed in a special way to see better in dim light.
And of course, the famous hawkmoth butterfly "Death's Head" (Acherontia atropos) is the largest and rarest representative of the hawkmoth family with a wingspan of up to 13 cm. This is the same butterfly that scared Edgar Allan Poe :) In addition to the characteristic pattern on the back, reminiscent of a skull and crossbones , this butterfly is also known for the fact that it can make squeaking sounds.
Butterflies are one of the most beautiful representatives of the fauna. Moths from the hawkmoth family feed on nectar; they flutter over flowers like hummingbirds. Observation of amazing creatures nature brings naturalists real pleasure. Unfortunately, the number of hawk moths is constantly declining; many species are listed in the Red Book. Mindless killing of insects, use of pesticides and destruction natural environment make them rare guests on Russian territory. Wine hawk moth with a delicate olive-pink color is found in the central zone of the country. To change people's attitudes towards these insects, we need to learn more about their lifestyle.
Description of the species
Wine hawk moth belongs to the genus Deilephila. These are large and medium-sized butterflies with a wingspan of 40-80 mm. Representatives of the species are divided into three groups based on size.
Deilephilaporcellus
Deilephilaporcellus
Lesser wine hawk moth is widespread in the Palearctic. The wingspan of the moth is 40-55 mm. The body is pink, the front wings are yellow-olive with wide pink margins along the edge. The hind wings are pink with an ocher band. Flies in May-August. The larva is dark brown with black shading; there is no horn. Often found in southern Russia, does not migrate.
Interesting fact. As defense mechanism caterpillars can relax their muscles, simulating death.
Deilephilaelpenor
Medium Wine Hawkmoth is an olive butterfly with a pink pattern. The base of the hind wings is black. Wingspan 50-70 mm. The head, chest and abdomen of the moth are olive green. The pinkish stripes on the back in the abdominal area merge into one longitudinal line. The antennae are thickened, grayish-pink. The eyes are large, complex, covered with scales. Insects have excellent vision, they see objects when low light.
Information. Hawkmoths fly at speeds of up to 50 km/h. The wind interferes with their flight and while feeding on flowers. When the wind force is 3 m/s, insects do not fly out to feed.
Insects are common in Europe, including the south of the Urals. Found in Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, India, Korea, Japan and China. It lives in gardens, at the edge of the forest, and on roadsides. Settles on honeysuckle bushes, petunias and iris flowers. Moths living in gardens and parks pollinate 5-10% of nearby trees and shrubs.
Attention. Medium wine hawk moth is listed in the Red Book of Karelia and Belgorod region like a rare species.
The wine hawk moth caterpillar can be green or dark brown, almost black in color. On the 4th-5th body segment there are round black eyes with a white border. The tail horn is short, black at the base, and the tip is white. Due to their large size (70-80 mm), the caterpillars make a terrifying impression on people. They are actually not dangerous. The larvae do not even cause serious harm to plants.
In case of danger, the wine hawk moth caterpillar is capable of inflating a segment of the body that has eyes. She draws her head in and assumes a sphinx pose, lifting her front legs off the surface. At the same time, she becomes like a snake. Considering impressive size bodies such enemies as birds prefer not to engage in combat.
Hippotioncelerio
The largest representative of the species reaches sizes of 70-80 mm. The color of the elongated body and wings is olive-brown. A gray-blue longitudinal line is noticeable along the entire body from the head to the end of the abdomen. The wings have patterns of dark strokes and wide light stripes. Caterpillars grow up to 90 mm. The color is green or brown, with light dots on the sides and longitudinal white stripe. The horn is long, straight, and brown at the end. On the first segment of the chest there is a black eyespot, on the second - white. What does the wine hawk moth caterpillar eat? Tropical look It is not original in its choice of diet; its larvae live on bedstraw, lilac, bindweed and other plants. The butterfly is common in warm countries– Africa, Central and South Asia. Migrates to the south of Europe summer season, flying vast distances, does not hibernate. At home it produces up to five generations per year.
Lifestyle and reproduction
The summer time of butterflies is from May to August. They are active in the evening until midnight. Moths feed on flowers and mate. Depending on the region where they live, they give from one to five generations. For plants that open their buds at close intervals, they are excellent pollinators. IN mating season they often fly towards light sources.
Interesting fact. Hawk Moths excellent flyers, during migration they cover thousands of kilometers. Butterflies are able to hover in one place, feeding on the nectar of flowers, and move vertically up and down.
Butterflies are insects with complete metamorphosis. This means that in their development they go through several alternating stages:
- egg;
- larva (caterpillar);
- chrysalis;
- imago (butterfly).
The fertilized female lays individual or paired round eggs on the leaves and stems of food plants. Green masonry with a glossy surface. The embryo develops in 7-10 days. Young larvae are yellow or light green in color. As they mature, most become gray-brown with black streaks. This stage lasts about a month.
The wine hawk moth caterpillar can be both beneficial and harmful. It depends on her diet. The larva that settles on the weeds helps get rid of the grass without weeding. The insect does no harm agriculture. Hawkmoth's food plants are flowers and ovary of hawkmoth ( Ivan-tea), bedstraw, impatiens. IN in rare cases feeds on grape leaves.
Having reached the fifth instar, the larva descends to the ground and prepares for pupation. She chooses a place at the foot of the plant on which she fed and forms a cocoon. The pupa is brown, length 40-45 mm. They overwinter in the litter or upper layers of soil.
Hawk moths are an integral part of nature; banning their catching of butterflies and destroying their habitats helps to preserve these beautiful representatives of the fauna.
Sometimes in the summer on meadow paths, or even in the city, you can meet large caterpillars slowly crawling. Someone will say “ugh, what a disgusting thing!”, and someone, on the contrary, will pick it up with interest. The caterpillar, of course, doesn’t like this, it begins to wriggle and curl up into a ring, because it has eaten itself for several weeks and is now looking for a secluded place to pupate. The caterpillar shown in the photo wine hawkmoth(lat. Deilephila elpenor) light brown, with a greenish tint; on the sides of the front part of the body, near the head, it has dark spots with a white border on top and a small horn on the tail. If the caterpillar is frightened, it retracts its head, inflates the segments with eye patterns, making them look like the head of a snake with eyes, which should scare off unwanted predators. This caterpillar feeds on fireweed, better known among us as fireweed, bedstraw and grape leaves (for which it received its name). After pupation, the following year it will hatch into a wine hawk moth, a rather large twilight moth, which is very similar to a hummingbird in its flight and feeding habits. Even in English it is called elephant hawk moth, which can be roughly translated as “elephant moth.”
Wine Hawkmoth(lat. Deilephila elpenor) - a butterfly from the family hawk moths (Sphingidae). Wingspan 50-70 mm. The coloring of the forewings and body is olive-pink with transverse oblique pink bands on the forewings. The hind wings are black at their base. Widely distributed in the Palearctic. Flight time is from mid-May to mid-August, one, sometimes two generations. The caterpillar stage is from mid-June to August. The color of the caterpillar varies from light green to brown and almost black; on the 4th and 5th rings there are “eyes” with a dark core and a white border. The horn is short, black-brown. The caterpillars' food plants are fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium and E. hirsutum) and fireweed (Chamerion); less often bedstraw, impatiens, grapes. Pupation on the soil; the pupa overwinters.
Below is a photo (not mine) of what an imago (adult moth) looks like:
Photo by jean pierre Hamon, Wikipedia
Wine hawk moth belongs to the genus Deilephila. These are large and medium-sized butterflies with a wingspan of 40-80 mm. Medium Wine Hawkmoth is an olive butterfly with a pink pattern. The base of the hind wings is black. Wingspan 50-70 mm. The head, chest and abdomen of the moth are olive green. The pinkish stripes on the back in the abdominal area merge into one longitudinal line. The antennae are thickened, grayish-pink. The eyes are large, complex, covered with scales. Insects have excellent vision; they see objects in low light. Insects are common in Europe, including the south of the Urals. Found in Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, India, Korea, Japan and China. It lives in gardens, at the edge of the forest, and on roadsides. Settles on honeysuckle bushes, petunias and iris flowers. Moths living in gardens and parks pollinate 5-10% of nearby trees and shrubs.
The wine hawk moth caterpillar can be green or dark brown, almost black in color. On the 4-5 body segment there are round black eyes with a white border. The tail horn is short, black at the base, and the tip is white. Due to their large size (70-80 mm), the caterpillars make a terrifying impression on people. They are actually not dangerous. The larvae do not even cause serious harm to plants.
In case of danger, the wine hawk moth caterpillar is capable of inflating a segment of the body that has eyes. She draws her head in and assumes a sphinx pose, lifting her front legs off the surface. At the same time, she becomes like a snake. Given the impressive size of the body, enemies such as birds prefer not to engage in combat.
The summer time of butterflies is from May to August. They are active in the evening until midnight. Moths feed on flowers and mate. Depending on the region where they live, they give from one to five generations. For plants that open their buds at close intervals, they are excellent pollinators. During the mating season, they often fly to light sources.
Hawkmoths are excellent flyers; during migration they cover thousands of kilometers. Butterflies are able to hover in one place, feeding on the nectar of flowers, and move vertically up and down.
The fertilized female lays individual or paired round eggs on the leaves and stems of food plants. Green masonry with a glossy surface. The embryo develops in 7-10 days. Young larvae are yellow or light green in color. As they mature, most become gray-brown with black streaks. This stage lasts about a month.
The wine hawk moth caterpillar can be both beneficial and harmful. It depends on her diet. The larva that settles on the weeds helps get rid of the grass without weeding. The insect does not harm agriculture. Hawkmoth food plants are flowers and ovaries of fireweed (willowherb), bedstraw, and impatiens. In rare cases, it feeds on grape leaves.
Having reached the fifth instar, the larva descends to the ground and prepares for pupation. She chooses a place at the foot of the plant on which she fed and forms a cocoon. The pupa is brown, length 40-45 mm. They overwinter in the litter or upper layers of soil.
Hawkmoths fly at speeds of up to 50 km/h. The wind interferes with their flight and while feeding on flowers. When the wind force is 3 m/s, insects do not fly out to feed.
Medium wine hawk moth is listed in the Red Book of Karelia and the Belgorod Region as a rare species.
The wine hawk moth received the Latin name Deilephila elpenor in honor of the hero of mythology: Elpenor is a friend of Odysseus, returning with him from Troy; died after falling from the roof of the palace of the sorceress Circe.
There is an assumption that these spots on the caterpillars of wine hawk moths imitate the “glasses” of a cobra. However, it is unlikely that birds would confuse a small caterpillar with a snake, especially since wine hawk moths are widespread in areas where cobras are not found. And simple experience has shown that birds very willingly eat ocellated caterpillars. There is no clear answer to the question about the reason for this coloring. The horn of the caterpillar of the average wine hawk moth is weakly expressed.
The hawk moth family (Sphingidae) is one of the fastest flyers not only among butterflies, but also among insects in general. Some reach speeds of up to 60 km/h! Narrow and long front wings and a streamlined, aerodynamic body make their flight swift and maneuverable. It was they, like some birds, that became the prototype for the creation of jet aircraft, thanks to observant designers. Hawkmoths make from 37 to 85 wing beats per second, while the swallowtail, for example, makes only 5-6 beats.
You can hatch the wine hawk moth at home from the pupa yourself, but to do this, after pupation, it must be stored in the refrigerator for some time, otherwise the adult insect will hatch somewhere around the New Year, when it will have nothing to eat. detailed information about their breeding -
Good day to all!
Currently I am in the Caucasus, namely in the Republic of Dagestan, in its southernmost part. The village of Orta-Stal, Suleyman-Stal district, is 25 kilometers from Azerbaijan. Today, while walking, something flew past me, or rather someone. With a hum like a beetle big size. I looked, hovered over a flower, another, without sitting on it and flew on. It dawned on me! My first thought was - Is this a Hummingbird?! No! - I thought and decided to get to the bottom of the truth. -Is this a Hummingbird? Very similar in size and behavior. And this is what I found! I'm sharing!
Hummingbirds in Russia
The buffy hummingbird is the only species of hummingbird that has been recorded in Russia.
We are used to thinking that hummingbirds can only be found in tropical and subtropical forests. However, despite the fact that most species of these birds actually live in the hot climatic zones of Central and South America, there is a hummingbird recorded in the subarctic climatic zone Russia.
Thus, the buffy hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) is the only kind, which was registered in June 1976 in Russia, on Ratmanov Island. There is also unconfirmed evidence that the buffy hummingbird has flown to Wrangel Island and mainland Chukotka. It’s hard to believe, especially if you don’t know that this little bird weighing no more than 5 grams is extremely hardy and can withstand temperatures down to -20 ° C!
However, most often these hummingbirds spend their summer in Rocky Mountains and in nearby lowlands North America, where the temperature reaches 28 °C. There birds feed on the nectar of flowers blooming during this period. wild plants and nest. The female usually builds a nest in a protected place - in bushes or coniferous trees. And with the onset of winter, buffy hummingbirds migrate to the forests mexican state Guerrero, covering a distance of more than 3000 km.
However, in Lately scientists began to note that more and more individuals of this species spend the winter on the coast Gulf of Mexico in Florida, which they believe is the result of an increase in the number of hummingbird feeders in the region.
Interestingly, due to its small size Buffy hummingbirds sometimes become prey for insectivorous birds and animals.
And now... Who did I actually see!
In this article you will learn the name of an insect similar to a hummingbird and why they are so often confused. In addition, you will be able to get acquainted with its appearance and feeding habits, thanks to which it is so similar to this tropical bird. Features of life Probably every person at least once in his life has heard that a large insect similar to a hummingbird was seen in his city. According to eyewitnesses, it hovers over a flower and drinks nectar from it. However, this is not a small bird at all, but unusual butterfly- hawk moth, which is often called proboscis or tongue hawk.
Isn’t it true, there are similarities!
The number of hawk moths undergoes strong fluctuations every year. So, for example, with favorable climatic conditions their population increases significantly, and if there is rainfall during the warm season a large number of precipitation, they are quite rare. Moreover, even if the climate is extremely favorable for their reproduction, it is almost impossible to track general trends in population changes. This is directly related to the fact that an insect similar to a hummingbird makes frequent migrations over significant distances, flying from southern regions to the northern ones, where most individuals simply die from the cold. Moreover, their flight speed can reach 50 km/h. Basic data The butterfly, similar to a hummingbird, is small, but extremely beautiful. It belongs to the hawk moth family (Sphingidae). Its wingspan is 40-50 mm. It is thanks to its unusual appearance and way of feeding that when people see this insect for the first time, they mistake it for a hummingbird, because, in addition to its external resemblance, it also flies mainly during the daytime.
The hummingbird-like insect rarely rests. It can stay in the air without stopping, moving its wings quickly. His movements are so fast that the human eye does not have time to follow them. At the same time, due to such speed, they make a low buzzing noise. Flying up to a flower, the hawk moth hovers over it and, holding itself in this position, lowers its proboscis inside it, starting to feed on nectar. It is noteworthy that this species of butterfly has a very good memory and constantly returns to feed on the flowers he likes. Despite the fact that the tongue belongs to the class of nocturnal butterflies, it flies exclusively during the daytime. Reproduction The butterfly, similar to a hummingbird, prefers to lay its eggs on food plants. She does this on the fly, attaching them one at a time. They form caterpillars, the size of which directly depends on the type of hawk moth. They can be yellow-green or brownish-red in color with white dotted warts, black spiracles and longitudinal stripes of white, yellow or red located near the “legs”. Almost immediately after their appearance, they begin to eat the leaves of the plants closest to the place of oviposition, as a result of which the shoots become bare and soon die. Hawkmoth caterpillars can cause significant damage to most agricultural crops, among which grapes and potatoes suffer most from their invasions.
Before pupation, the hawkmoth caterpillars turn red and burrow into the ground without a cocoon. Despite the fact that the cover of the proboscis of the pupa is soldered, it still protrudes glue-like. The color of the pupa is light and can vary depending on the type of hawkmoth from gray-brown to bluish-green. Description An insect similar to a hummingbird has a rather unusual appearance. Proboscis adult well developed. The front wings have a gray or gray-brown tint. On top of the main color are two bands of rich black color. The outer edge of the front wings is solid. The hind wings are orange, with a narrow dark border. The head is rounded. The abdomen has a wide, although rather flat, hair brush at the end. At the end of the body there is an almost straight horn of pale blue color with a brown ending. The most common types: Wine. Euphorbia. Poplar. Dead Head. Most of them have bright and unusual colors. Habitat An insect similar to a hummingbird is capable of flying over considerable distances. Over the course of one year, up to two generations of hawk moths manage to develop. The first flies from the first days of May to mid-July. For the most part it consists of individuals arriving from the south. The second generation flies from August to October. At the same time, some butterflies migrate to warm regions in the fall.
An insect similar to a hummingbird can be found in almost any country with warm and temperate climate. For example, in Crimea, hawk moths are found everywhere and produce at least three generations. Both the butterfly and the pupa overwinter. Moreover, if there is a prolonged thaw in winter, they can make an unscheduled flight, therefore, they can be seen in any winter month. As permanent places They prefer open, well-warmed areas. In cities, it can be seen in flower beds, hovering over flowering plants. IN wild conditions Hawkmoth prefers to feed on the nectar of cornflowers and blueberries, and in cultivated landscapes - geraniums and petunias.
Well, that’s all, I hope you liked my post and the information was useful.
HUMMINGBIRD OF THE INSECT WORLD The proboscis hawk moth or common tongue hawk (Macroglossum stellatarum L.), like a hummingbird, hovers over a flower, lowering its long proboscis.
The common tongue hawk or proboscis hawk moth - Macroglossum stellatarum (Linnaeus, 1758) is a small hawk moth with a wingspan of 40 - 50 mm. The front wings are gray with a dark transverse pattern, the hind wings are bright orange with a narrow dark border. Active during the day. It feeds by hovering over flowers. The proboscis is well developed. In the pupa, the proboscis sheath is welded together, but protrudes keel-like. This species is common in Europe, North Africa, in the north and central Asia, in South India. In the CIS - everywhere in the southern and central regions before Far East. In Kuban mass appearance, found everywhere. Migrant, the first generation is replenished by vagrant individuals. In Kuban it gives at least three generations, partially coinciding in time: I - November - May, II - June - July, III - August - September. Both the butterfly and the pupa overwinter. During the thaw, a flying butterfly can be found in any winter month. The butterfly lays eggs on a food plant in flight, attaching them one at a time. The caterpillar feeds on bedstraw and madder. Pupates in the ground. Before pupation, the caterpillar turns red. The doll is light.
* Hawkmoths – for the most part large butterflies with a thick, muscular body, tapering towards the posterior end. 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 don’t even have time to see them.
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