A large Hummingbird hawk-moth feeding on some flowers, Walmer, Deal, Kent
The hummingbird hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) is a species of hawk moth found across temperate regions of Eurasia. The species is named for its similarity to hummingbirds, as they feed on the nectar of tube-shaped flowers using their long proboscis while hovering in the air; this resemblance is an example of convergent evolution. The hummingbird hawk-moth was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. As of 2018, its entire genome and mitogenome have been sequenced. The hummingbird hawk-moth is distributed throughout the northern Old World from Portugal to Japan, but it breeds mainly in warmer climates (southern Europe, North Africa, and points east). Three generations are produced in a year in Spain.[2] It is a strong flier, dispersing widely in the summer.[3] However it rarely survives the winter in northern latitudes ( north of the Alps in Europe, north of the Caucasus in Russia). Moths in the genus Hemaris, also of the family Sphingidae, are known as "hummingbird moths" in the US, and "bee moths" in Europe.[citation needed] This sometimes causes confusion between this species and the North American genus. Two or more broods are produced each year. The adult may be encountered at any time of the year, especially in the south of the range, where there may be three or four broods. It overwinters as an adult in a crevice among rocks, trees, and buildings.[4] On very warm days it may emerge to feed in mid-winter. Unlike other moths, they have no sexual dimorphism in the size of their antennal lobes. Its long proboscis (25–28 mm (– in))[7] and its hovering behavior, accompanied by an audible humming noise, make it look remarkably like a hummingbird while feeding on flowers. Like hummingbirds, it feeds on flowers which have tube-shaped corollae.[7] It should not be confused with the moths called hummingbird moths in North America, genus Hemaris, members of the same family and with similar appearance and behavior.
Size: 3215px × 2530px
Location: Walmer, Deal, Kent, UK
Photo credit: © John Gaffen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 40–45, behavior, black, brown, convergent, edge, evolution., fan-tail, feeding, flight, flowers, flying, forewings, free, garden, hawk-moth, head, hindwings, hovering, hummingbird, insect, lepidoptera, long, lucky, macroglossum, millimetres, omen, orange, proboscis, setae, stellatarum, sunshine, system, trichromatic, visual, wings, wingspan
