An insect with a long proboscis that looks like a bird. This is interesting! Especially for nature lovers

Butterflies Hawk Moths- prominent representatives huge world insects They are often called "northern" or sphinxes due to large sizes and several in an unusual way nutrition.

There are a large number of moth species, each of them has its own characteristic color, a special pattern on the surface of the wings and back. Thus, the butterfly Wine Hawk Moth is burgundy in color, like dark red wine, and the Death's Head Hawk Moth has an image on its back that looks like a real skull.

The color of the butterfly depends on the vegetation on which it lives and on the way it feeds. Most Hawkmoths have a bright color, a pattern of oblique stripes on a bright background with large spots in the form big eyes on the back.

In the photo there is a death's head hawkmoth

Features and habitat of the hawk moth butterfly

Hawk Moth is a rather large, heavy butterfly with a powerful, cone-shaped body and elongated wings, the span of which reaches 35 - 175 mm. The antennae of all Hawkmoths are long, hook-shaped, with a pointed top.

Round, open eyes the butterflies are covered with scaly eyebrows on top. The proboscis is strong, often longer than body. The paws are equipped with several rows of strong spines. The abdomen of the Hawk Moth is covered with scales, which are arranged at the end into a brush or wide brush.

Hawkmoth flies very quickly, in flight it resembles a jet aircraft, which flies with a characteristic low hum. It occurs due to very frequent wing beats; the insect makes 52 beats per second.

Many Hawkmoth species resemble small birds such as Oleander Hawkmoth, Death's Head, Common Tongue and Wine Hawkmoth, they cover enormous distances during flights from continent to continent or from one end of the country to the other.

Pictured is an oleander hawk moth

Pictures with a butterfly are always bright and attractive. Hawk hawk with a front wing length of 32-42 mm, it has a wingspan of 64-82 mm. The front wings of the butterfly are extended towards the top, have a carved edge at the bottom, and are painted brown with dark marble patterns.

The back of the Hawk Moth is decorated with a wide, brown stripe. The hind wings at the base of the butterfly's body are pinkish-red, visible against this background large spots resembling black eyes with a blue ring inside. The insect's whiskers are serrated.

Tobacco Hawkmoth lives in tropical areas South America, found up to the northern states of the USA. It is considered a pest of tobacco plantations, since this crop is the main food of insect caterpillars. On the abdomen, this hawk moth has an interesting pattern consisting of six pairs of red and yellow squares.

In the photo there is a tobacco hawk moth

Linden Hawkmoth has a wingspan from 62 to 80 mm. The edges of its front wings are jagged. The color of the wings varies from olive green to reddish. Against this background, two large, irregular, often interconnected dark spots stand out.

The hind wings are orange with a dark stripe. The caterpillar of this butterfly is green with red oblique stripes on the sides; the black pupa spends the winter in the soil. Lives in deciduous forests Europe and Western Siberia, in the gardens of Asia Minor and the Caucasus. It flies actively in early summer; sometimes a second generation of insects may appear in early autumn.

Hawkmoth butterfly feeding

Most individuals of Hawkmoths feed on flower nectar, but they do not sit on the flower, but hover over it and suck up the nectar with their long proboscis. This flight is considered the most difficult, it is aerobatics, not all insects have it, but it does not contribute to plant pollination.

Some Hawk Moths prefer to consume bee honey. So the Death's Head butterfly literally robs the hives at night, hovering over them and imitating the buzzing, penetrates inside the hive, pierces the honeycombs with its strong trunk and sucks out the honey.

Reproduction and lifespan

Hawkmoth butterflies live for several days; their lifespan depends on the reserves accumulated by the body during the larval stage. The entire life cycle is approximately 30-45 days; sometimes two generations of insects grow over the summer.

Hawkmoths are insects that have a full cycle of transformation. It consists of 4 stages: egg, larva (or caterpillar), pupa, butterfly - adult insect. The male is helped to find a mate of his species by pheromones, which are secreted by the glands of the female.

Mating of insects lasts from 23 minutes to several hours, during which the partners remain completely motionless. Then the female almost immediately lays fertilized eggs, in a clutch there are up to 1000 eggs in a clutch, depending on the species.

Hawkmoth caterpillar

The eggs attach to plants where there is enough food for the caterpillars. Hawkmoth caterpillars appear on the 2-4th day. They are very active, consume a lot of oxygen and food, which allows them to grow and develop quickly.

Hawkmoth caterpillars are perfectly adapted for survival: some species have bright colors, thick and stiff hairs, others have a color that camouflages to the environment, a streamlined body shape, some highlight bad smell due to accumulation in the body toxic substances.

Most of them feed on the leaves of the plants on which they hatched. Hawkmoth caterpillars do not cause much harm to forests and gardens, because they mainly eat only young leaves. They are especially active at dusk and at night.

Having gained enough strength and nutrients, the caterpillar plunges into the soil and pupates there. U Hawkmoth pupae below rises a small horn, which is present in almost all species.

The pupal stage lasts about 18 days, during which great changes occur - complete metamorphosis of the body, the miraculous transformation of the Hawkmoth larva into a beautiful adult.

A mature insect independently frees itself from the dry cocoon, spreads its wings and dries them. Having acquired the ability to fly, the butterfly immediately sets off in search of a sexual partner so that the life cycle of this creature is not interrupted.

Most species of Hawk Moths are in the Russian Red Book, as well as in the regional Red Books. These insects destroy many weeds and simply decorate our world.

If you look closely butterfly Hawk Moth, you can see in it a lot in common with the hummingbird bird. The butterfly is large in size and has a long, thick and fluffy body that really closely resembles a tiny bird.

Not all flowers are able to withstand its considerable weight. Therefore, hawk moths do not sit on flowers, but suck nectar from them using their proboscis spout directly in flight. From the outside it is interesting to observe how a large butterfly hovers over a bud and, with the rapid action of its wings, extracts the flower’s valuable nectar.

And this continues until it gets heavier. People have noticed that after almost complete saturation, the butterfly flies from flower to flower, smoothly swaying as if under alcohol intoxication.

People who don't really lead sober image life is sometimes called hawk moths. So this name stuck to the butterfly because of its seemingly reckless behavior and smooth swaying movements during flight.

There is also an opinion why people called them that way. The fact is that the butterfly drinks nectar with such pleasure as a person who likes to drink beer. The name is ancient, so the real reason Why the butterfly was called Hawkmoth is probably simply impossible to find out. Most people are still inclined to the first version, which is indeed more like the truth.

Features and habitat

In nature there is simply an incredible amount of the most diverse, beautiful and ugly, ordinary and supernatural. But, perhaps, the most popular of all this variety is the Hawk Moth butterfly.

Brazhnik wine medium

There are many legends about her. There is simply an incredible number of signs and superstitions associated with it. The butterfly Hawkmoth was given a not entirely minor role in the popular film "The Silence of the Lambs", in which main character, suffering from manic tendencies, grew these moths and placed their pupae in the mouth of each of his victims.

In general, everything connected with the Hawk Moth butterfly has long been dark, mystical and frightening. For some reason, since ancient times, people have considered this moth a harbinger of disasters and always tried to destroy it when they met it.

Why did people dislike this beauty so much? There are several answers to this question. One of the very first and most compelling reasons for a person’s hatred of the Hawkmoth butterfly is its appearance.

Euphorbia Hawkmoth

The fact is that on her back it’s as if someone specially drew a human skull with crossbones. Looking at such a picture, it’s unlikely that positive thoughts will come to anyone’s mind.

The second reason for people’s dislike of this insect was its unpleasant squeak. It is so loud and unpleasant, like screaming, that it makes people shudder.

A picture on the back is added to this cry and the harbinger of trouble is ready. Such external data prompted many people to creative works, in which basically this sweet and wonderful creature acted as a monster.

At its core, this butterfly is considered one of the largest. The span of her beautiful wings sometimes reaches up to 14 cm. This beauty belongs to the order Lepidoptera. The body of the butterfly has the shape of a cone, its wings are narrow and elongated.

Hawkmoth cingulata

The butterfly has long antennae, round eyes and a long proboscis, which is its main assistant in obtaining food. Short and strong spines are observed on the insect's legs. Scales are visible on the abdomen. The front wings are wide and somewhat pointed towards the apex.

The rear ones are slightly smaller, sloping towards the rear. Butterfly caterpillars are large in size and have five pairs of legs. Their color is difficult to confuse with anyone else. It is bright, with diagonal stripes and spots reminiscent of eyes.

At the end of the body of the Hawkmoth butterfly caterpillar, an outgrowth of a dense structure in the form of a horn is clearly visible. In many places, these caterpillars cause harm to forestry, gardening and agriculture, damaging crops.

Death's Head Hawk Moth (Acherontia atropos)

All species of this family are comfortable in a warm environment. But among them there are also those who, for some reason, can migrate much further north from their usual habitats.

They can easily fly across seas and mountain ranges. If we consider some Hawkmoth species, you can discern significant differences between them. Oleander hawk moth, for example, deep green, like grass.

Its front wings have a distinctive pattern with varying shades of white, brown, green and purple. The hind wings are predominantly gray and purple tones, bordered by a green rim.

In color ocellated hawkmoth The predominant color is brown and a pattern reminiscent of marble. A longitudinal stripe is clearly visible along the front back of the insect. Brown. The base of the hind wings is tender Pink colour with red tones. In the middle, large spots of black with blue colors, resembling eyes.

Tobacco Hawkmoth slightly gray yellow. On the back of his body there are beautiful yellow rectangles separated by black stripes. This moth is very beautiful in real life. U linden hawkmoth Olive-green tones predominate in color. There are uneven marks on its wings dark spots.

Character and lifestyle

Hawkmoth butterflies, despite popular rumor, are actually very gentle and harmless creatures. Their appearance on summer cottage not an omen of trouble, but big chance watch this beautiful creature, many of whose species are listed in the Red Book.

poplar hawkmoth

It looks much better in real life than Hawkmoth in the photo. Although the photo conveys its incredible beauty. These insects are considered the fastest pollinators of flowers. In flight, they develop incredible speed - up to 50 km/h.

Butterflies fly at a certain period. They can be seen in late summer and early autumn. Almost all species of these insects prefer to live in crepuscular and night look life. But among them there are also those that can be seen during the day.

Every year they cover a huge distance, getting from Africa to Europe. Before turning into a doll, the Hawkmoth butterfly is completely immersed in the ground. And after 5-6 hours it can only stick out its head in order to feed on the leaves that it reaches.

Far Eastern hawk moth

Most often it can be found in potato fields. Many observant workers Agriculture seen more than once Hawkmoth pupa when harvesting potatoes.

These insects can get into the hive to get honey for themselves. When touched, they emit a heart-rending and disgusting squeak. They are not afraid of bee stings due to the thick hairs all over their body.

Nutrition

This moth's favorite treat is flower nectar. How he gets it was mentioned a little higher. It is worth adding that this is not at all easy to do. Such tricks are considered aerobatics.

Hawkmoth collecting nectar from a flower

In order to get the honey that butterflies love, they have to fly over the hive and pretend that they are bees. A funny and interesting show. It is not difficult for a hawk moth to use its proboscis to pierce a honeycomb and feast on honey from it.

Reproduction and lifespan

Basically, a butterfly manages to produce offspring twice. If there is prolonged Warm autumn, this could happen a third time. True, when it gets cold, the offspring from the third brood in most cases die from a sharp change in temperature.

Hawkmoth caterpillar

IN life cycle Brazhnikov butterflies have 4 phases. Initially, a sexually mature female lays an egg. From which the larva emerges over time ( Hawkmoth caterpillar). The larva eventually turns into a pupa, which becomes an adult butterfly.

In order for a male to mate with a female, she secretes a special pheromone that attracts a gentleman. Mating takes several hours. After which the female lays her eggs on the plants. There may be about a thousand of them. Most often, Hawkmoth eggs can be seen on nightshade plants, potatoes, and tobacco.

The appearance of larvae is noticed on days 2-4. Larvae need a lot of food to survive normally. Therefore, they actively absorb it in the evening and at night. The larva grows to large sizes, its length can reach 15 cm.

Hawkmoth oleander

Her whole appearance may be threatening, but in fact she is a painfully harmless creature who spends most of her time underground and appears on the surface of the earth only if she needs to refresh herself. The pupa has to survive the winter in the ground. At the same time, she does not wrap herself in a cocoon. With the arrival of spring, a real Hawk Moth butterfly emerges from such a pupa.

It’s simply akin to a miracle: going out into your own yard to your own flowerbed, you see something above the flowers that is very reminiscent of the famous tropical hummingbird. Logic dictates that climatic conditions have not yet changed enough for tropical women to migrate to us, but here it is - businesslike, busy, sticking out its proboscis, drinking nectar from petunia gramophones, beautifully hovering over the flowers.

The charm of these insects lies precisely in the similarity with the habits of hummingbirds. And they are similar in size. Hawkmoth butterflies, and it is they who confuse nature lovers who are unaware of species diversity, are quite often found during the day in middle lane Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, others European countries. And although representatives of the hawkmoth 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 in size: 29-32 mm, some individuals reach thirty-six. The wingspan of representatives of the hawkmoth family is also quite large - from 50 to 70 millimeters.

Hawkmoth butterflies have a unique appearance. Each species has its own color and pattern on the back and wings. Thus, the wine hawk moth has a burgundy tint (like wine), and the butterfly with the terrifying name death's head wears an image on its back that is strikingly reminiscent of pirate symbols - a skull.

Entomologists select the names of butterflies in accordance with their inherent traits or style of behavior. The hawk moth family received its “surname” because of its habit of eating, flying from flower to flower, just as drunkards (and previously they were only called hawk moths) move from table to table, from tavern to tavern, until they have drunk enough.

Not a very euphonious name, but it is firmly attached to insects.

The best flyers

Despite their apparent clumsiness and increased shaggyness, hawkmoth butterflies 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 fairly thick body, noticeable antennae and completely fragile wings can tear themselves off the ground.

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

Habitat

Hawkmoths 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 Atlantic coast to Kamchatka. Even in the most seemingly unsuitable habitats for insects northern regions Hawkmoth is not uncommon.

In Russia, hawkmoth butterflies are found in the Lipetsk region, in Yelets, in 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 were obtained, it is noticeable that the butterfly’s wings are in active motion and look transparent.

How is beauty born?

The caterpillars of hawkmoth butterflies deserve a separate discussion, since they are also among the wonders of nature. Beauties in color and original in body structure, these forerunners of hawk moths are excellent at masquerading as environment, taking the form of a curled leaf.

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

Butterfly caterpillars pupate from mid-August, nestling comfortably in a cocoon of fallen leaves or in a cushion of moss, or in the soil, burrowing to a depth of at least five centimeters.

The pupa spends the winter in a cocoon, and in the 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 no ones that would live longer than two or three weeks. Those that can last a month are already real long-lived insects.

Some of the representatives of hawk moths are lucky enough to enjoy life for just a few days. Now we're talking about about those that have neither a proboscis nor a digestive system. Such butterflies live only on the substances that the caterpillar has accumulated at one time.

Hummingbird butterflies, capable of obtaining food 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 hawkmoth butterflies are very unusual and eloquent - they always reveal the essence of the insect.

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

The same can be said about milkweed and linden hawk moths.

Medium and small wine hawk moths They differ from each other only in size, as their names indicate. With almost the same structure and almost the same color, these butterflies have long become a decoration of city flower beds and garden plots. People perceive their bright, cheerful color as a symbol of summer.

There are legends about the death's head hawk moth. They say this is a dungeon dweller, marked and associated with evil spirits. But the poor insect was just unlucky with the pattern: the butterfly is decorated with an unflattering skull. The death's head has another one unique feature- when touched, it makes a piercing squeaking sound. The wings of the butterfly have a span of up to 13 cm.

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

In total, there are 1,200 species of butterflies of the hawk moth family in the world, of which 25 are found in the European part of Russia.

Forty degrees is the norm

Butterflies of the hawkmoth family have a massive spindle-like body, which is quite difficult to lift into the air (they always evoke associations with small cargo airplanes in everyone’s mind).

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

Honey thieves

Hawkmoths do not live on nectar alone; they also have great respect for honey. Butterflies do not hesitate to climb into beehives to get this delicacy. And what’s most amazing is to return from there not only alive and healthy, but also well-fed. How do bees tolerate such brazen attacks?

Entomological scientists have come to the conclusion that the quiet creaking sounds that hawk moths make have a hypnotic effect on the entire swarm, reminding the bees of the sound of the queen. This is how the butterfly distracts the attention of the bees and feasts on honey.

Hawkmoths should not be destroyed 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.

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 species that was recorded 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, these hummingbirds most often spend their summers in the Rocky Mountains and nearby lowlands in North America, where temperatures reach 28 °C. There, birds feed on the nectar of wild plants blooming during this period 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 of the Mexican state of Guerrero, covering a distance of more than 3,000 km.

However, in Lately Scientists have begun to note that more individuals of this species are spending the winter on the Gulf Coast of Florida, which they believe is the result of an increase in the number of hummingbird feeders in the region.

Interestingly, due to their small size, buffy hummingbirds are sometimes preyed on 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 about what was seen in his city large insect, similar to a hummingbird. According to eyewitnesses, it hovers over a flower and drinks nectar from it. However, this is not a small bird at all, but an unusual butterfly - a hawk moth, which is often called a proboscis or tongue.

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 external resemblance, he 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, 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. The proboscis of an adult is 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 out 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.

Walking along the forest edge or admiring a flower bed in the warm summer evenings, you could witness an unusually amazing sight: a hummingbird flutters over a flower. But, as a sensible person, you immediately reassure yourself: these birds are not found in our latitudes. So what is it - an insect that looks like a hummingbird, or is it still nature? What miracles happen!

Amazing insect that looks like a hummingbird

And if you happen to see such a miracle, then know that you have met a butterfly of the hawkmoth family, of which there are more than a thousand species. They are also called tongues. Indeed, this hummingbird-like insect can easily be confused with an Australian bird. The body of the butterfly is very powerful and quite large. Hawkmoths are considered the best flyers among lepidopterans. They can reach speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour. They feed on flower nectar, hovering in the air above the flower. Hawkmoths are distributed throughout the world, they live in the tropics, Siberia, and Crimea. And although these butterflies are considered nocturnal insects, they can often be seen during the day. As mentioned above, their main food is nectar, but there are also specimens that do not eat anything at all, since their proboscis is underdeveloped. And, consequently, this type of hawk moth lives for a very short time; after mating and laying eggs, the butterflies die. Appearance Butterfly birds have a very beautiful one, and, by the way, caterpillars are no less beautiful. They are typically very large and brightly colored, with a horn visible at the rear end of the body. If you pick up such a caterpillar in your hands, it shrinks and begins to twitch from side to side, trying to scare away enemies. And some also squeak shrilly. Let's get acquainted with individual species of these wonderful butterflies.

Hawk Moth Antey

The largest representative of hawk moths, the hawk moth antheus, is found in South and Central America. Indeed, this insect, similar to a hummingbird (photo presented in the article), can be confused with a bird - its wingspan is about 18 centimeters. The color of the butterfly is indeed “bird-like” - gray-brown with yellow patterns on the sides and edges of the wings. They fly all year round, fortunately the climate allows it. The Antea caterpillar is very large, with yellow-green stripes.

Hawkmoth oleander

This butterfly is incredibly beautiful! The wingspan is relatively small - 100-158 mm. The body and wings are covered with a complex pattern. This makes it easier for the butterfly to hide. The insect flies from July to October. Lives in Africa and Asia, rarely found in Europe. The caterpillars feed on oleander and periwinkle. And although these plant substances do not accumulate in the body of the insect, which makes it defenseless against predators.

Hawkmoth "death's head"

You've probably seen this butterfly more than once. You can recognize her by the terrifying pattern on her chest in the form. Actually, because of the mentioned image, she got her name. Every spring, this insect, similar to a hummingbird, flies to us from Africa to breed, but the butterfly spends the winter in its homeland, since our winters are too harsh for them. Flies from July to October. Lives near potato fields. It feeds on flower nectar and simply loves honey. Therefore, it often flies into bee hives for treats. The caterpillars' food plant is nightshade.

Hummingbird-like winged beetle

Yes, sometimes they are also confused with beetles due to their impressive size and the sounds they make. These are such amazing hawk moths: they squeak, love honey and pass themselves off as birds. And how many more unusual things nature keeps in itself!