Nature is a great inventor. And when creating the night butterfly Daphnis nerii (oleander hawk moth), she also showed herself as a talented artist. This butterfly can rightfully be called the most beautiful of all twilight and nocturnal insects.
Hawk Moth family: general information
The whole list of twilight and nocturnal insects belongs to the hawk family. These are butterflies (see photo above) of large and medium size, with a large pointed body. All of them have elongated wings, the span of which can vary from 30 to 175 mm.
Caterpillars of hawk moths are bright and large. They grow and develop on trees and shrubs, although some species of hawks prefer grassy vegetation. Within a species, each caterpillar has a narrow food selectivity, which means that several related plants are suitable for food for a particular species. Deviations from this rule are rare. Polyphagous hawk moths are almost never found.
The extensive family includes two butterflies that lead morning and afternoon lifestyles.
The family list consists of almost 1200species and subfamilies. The most famous are:
- Poplar hawks, ocellated hawks; Amur hawk hawk, blind hawk belonging to the subfamily Smerinthinae.
- Lilac, pine, bindweed hawk moths, death's head - a subfamily of sphinxes.
- Oleander hawk; bumblebee (diurnal species), proserpine, hawk bat, southern euphorbia, tongue - subfamily Long-tongued.
This is a very small part of the list, but it can be used to judge the species diversity within the family.
Oleander hawk: acquaintance
It is very difficult to enjoy the beauty of this butterfly. Nature has come up with the perfect disguise for her wonderful creation. The oleander hawk moth is a fairly large moth with a large wingspan. The front wings of the insect are up to 52 mm in size. In scope, they can be up to 125 mm. The front wings are painted with whitish and pink wavy stripes. The inner corner of the front wings is decorated with a large purple elongated spot.
The hindwings of the insect resemble the work of an unknown artist. From the base to the middle they are painted in blackish shades, and from the center to the edge - in greenish-brown colors. The butterfly (see photo below) has color zones separated by a white stripe.
The body of the oleander beauty is elongated, sharply tapering towards the back. The chest is painted gray-green. The belly has a pleasant olive color. The first segments of the abdomen are surrounded by a border of white hairs. Further on each side are beveled olive stripes.
Where is this type of butterfly found?
Unusual night moth is not seen too often. And not everyone can see it in the foliage of the oleander. Oleander hawk belongs to migratory butterflies. The main places of residence are Africa and the Middle East. If a warm year is issued, then the insect can be found in Central Europe.
In the post-Soviet space, it is found in Transcaucasia, in the North Caucasus, the coast of the Caspian Sea and the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov. Most often, the oleander hawk catches the eye on the Caucasian coast of the Black Sea. Sometimes a beautiful butterfly can also be seen in Moldova, the Crimea and the territory of Turkmenistan. The hawk hawk does not fly into cooler areas, since it is physiologically unable to withstand cold winters.
What a caterpillar looks like
Like other members of the family, the oleander hawk caterpillar is large and brightly colored. It may be green or yellowish in color. The main decorations are dark spots on both sides of the third segment. From a distance, they look like eyes, since the spot itself is blue or black, and in its center there is a white dot. A light longitudinal stripe begins behind the third segment. The caterpillar has a short and flattened tail horn.
The caterpillar passes into the chrysalis stage on the ground at the roots of the oleander. Fragments of leaves of this plant weaves into a cocoon. The pupa itself is brown and elongated. Each spiracle is decorated with a black spot on both sides.
Taste preference
If you are lucky enough to see in a warm climatein the evening a butterfly in haute couture camouflage, then it could be an oleander hawk moth. What does this beauty eat? Like most hawks, the oleander species is food selective.
The basis of caterpillar nutrition is periwinkle and oleander. Despite the fact that both of these plants are poisonous, the caterpillar itself does not accumulate dangerous substances, which makes it completely defenseless. In some regions, the insect may feed on grape leaves, but this does not happen often.
This is interesting
Is there anything else unusual, besides the "designer" colors, in the oleander hawk moth? Interesting facts revealed by entomologists in the process of observation:
- All hawks, and the oleander species is no exception, do not sit on flowers during feeding. They hover over them, quickly flipping their wings. From the outside, it may seem that a hummingbird flutters over a flower. But hawks and hummingbirds do not have related intersections, these species are simply an example of convergent evolution.
- Oleander hawk hawk can migrate long distances. This is facilitated by the ability to develop high speed in flight. This type of butterfly is considered the fastest among Lepidoptera insects, their speed can reach 50 km/h.
- Oleander hawk hawk is able to quickly pollinate a large number of flowers. This happens due to the ability to move quickly and the presence of a long proboscis.
- A rare species of butterflies, the oleander hawk moth, was listed in the Red Book of the USSR.
To maintain the population and preserve the speciesscientists recommend growing oleander plantings in resort areas to attract oleander hawk moth and create conditions for it to reproduce.
