Hawk-Moth

Hovering flight

Hawk-moths are the hummingbirds of the insect world — they hover with rapid wing beats in front of flowers to feed from nectar without landing, using their enormously elongated proboscis to reach deep into flowers. Some species have probosces longer than their entire body. Darwin famously predicted, after examining the Madagascan star orchid (Angraecum sesquipedale) with its 30-cm nectar spur, that a hawk-moth with a 30-cm tongue must exist to pollinate it. The moth (Xanthopan morganii praedicta) was discovered in 1903.

The deaths-head hawk-moth

Acherontia atropos — the deaths-head hawk-moth — has a yellow and brown skull-like pattern on its thorax that gives it its sinister name. When disturbed, it makes an audible squeak by forcing air through its proboscis. It is associated with death and evil omens in European folklore; it features prominently in The Silence of the Lambs (the moth placed in the victims’ throats).

The elephant hawk-moth

One of Britain’s most beautiful moths: the elephant hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor) is a spectacular pink and olive-green species whose caterpillar resembles an elephant’s trunk. Common in British gardens where willowherb (Epilobium) grows, it is a regular visitor to evening-flowering plants including honeysuckle and petunias.

Night pollinators

Many hawk-moth-pollinated flowers are white or pale (white jasmine, white phlox, evening primrose) and heavily fragrant at night — adaptations for attracting nocturnal hawk-moths. The relationship between hawk-moth and flower is often highly specific and co-evolved over millions of years.